Worthy of Bella
by bitsaheavenandhell
Summary: All human... Charlie marries Esme and Edward & Bella become step-siblings. How do they fight the attraction they feel?
1. Chapter 1

A persistent buzzing woke Bella, and reaching her hand blindly for her alarm clock her hand found nothing. Opening one eye enough to see beside her she reached three conclusions at once; one she had drunk way too much the night before and two this was not her bedroom and three the buzzing had stopped. Sitting upright a tiny bit more she blearily peered around the unfamiliar room until her gaze came to rest on the body lying half hidden beneath the tangle of sheets that covered the bed. Bella blinked and then tried to force her foggy brain into gear. The buzzing started again and while still not completely coherent she recognised it as her mobile phone vibrating on the bedside table, picking it up hastily she answered the call. "Hello?" she heard her own gravelly voice and winced slightly; clearing her throat she tried again "Hello?" "Bells is that you?" Bella pulled the phone further away from her ear, swearing as her father's voice floated down the line, way to chipper for her liking. "Dad, how are you?" Bella knew that her father only rung when he really needed to; and for someone who owned and operated a multi-million dollar company Bella wasn't even sure her dad knew how to operate a phone properly. "Im fine angel girl, look I was just checking to see if you're still on for lunch today for Esme's birthday?"

Once again Bella swore silently, of all the things she didn't want to do today, her step-mothers birthday lunch was at the top; she loved her father dearly, and Esme was a nice person, but she had trouble dealing with their loved up antics. When Charlie had married Esme it had been a second marriage for both of them and at their ages they acted like a couple of loved up teenagers, she was pleased that her father had found someone who genuinely loved him but their public displays of affection sometimes got to her. It didn't help that Esme liked having Bella around; she didn't have any daughters, just daughters-in-laws, so they got treated like princesses by Esme and she expected them to behave lady-like all the time and that just wasn't Bella; but her dad wanted her there and she loved her dad so she said "Sure Charlie, I'll be there. Was there anything you needed me to bring?" Bella knew that his answer would be no but she liked asking nonetheless. After another couple of seconds of conversation she hung up from her father and turned her attention to the man beside her and although she couldn't see his face from the angle that she was sitting the view she did have was spectacular.

At twenty-six she was no virgin but she had always been conservative when it had come to sex, well she thought she had been until last night. Finding herself in a strange place with a perfect male specimen lying beside her was a new experience for Bella and she wasn't sure how to handle the situation. She was still contemplating her next move when the man shifted in his sleep and rolled over, giving Bella a full view of not just his face, sucking in a lungful of air she catalogued his body. He had the build of a swimmer, wide shoulders, flat washboard stomach, and slim hips and as her gaze reached his privates she blew out the air she had been holding in. This guy was perfect, except for the fact that Bella knew to whom the body belonged and he was the last person she wanted to be found in this kind of a situation with.

Bella waited for her companions breathing to return to the rhythm that indicated deep sleep before throwing off the sheet and scrambling from the bed. She quietly searched the room for her discarded clothing and one wayward shoe, she knew that if her companion woke up before she was dressed, or more to her liking gone, then she would have to look into those gorgeous hazel eyes and endure the sarcastic comments; that fell, like a waterfall, from the luscious lips of her step-brother; Edward.

Esme had three sons and none of them could be termed ugly by any means. Emmett, at thirty-nine was the oldest and a doctor, he was more of a pretty boy who knew how to get what he wanted by using his ample charm and good looks. Emmett was also happily married with two gorgeous daughters who Bella adored. Next in line was Jasper, who was more of a bookish person. He was a doctor of archaeology and worked at the Australia History Museum, Jaz had recently gotten married to his secretary. A story Bella thought was made even more romantic by the fact that Jaz had been widowed three years earlier, at thirty-three, and had been left to mourn his wife while caring for their newborn son. Kayden was like his daddy, shy and smart.

Now the 'baby' of Esme's family was Edward, at thirty-three he was the re-known playboy, he lived life large, loud and fast. Bella mentally chastised herself; it wasn't that Edward was a no-account loser. Far from it, he had started his own construction business at twenty-two and had built it into one of largest companies in the intervening eleven years but Bella sometimes thought, and with good reason, that the term playboy had been coined expressly for Edward. Bella had milk that lasted longer than some of his relationships. To make matters worse she had felt a deep un-nerving attraction immediately on meeting Edward, from the minute they had met and shook hands, and even eight years later that attraction was still there and last night having proven that he felt the same attraction for her. As Bella searched for her strappy high-heel she heard Edwards' mobile ringing from inside his pants pocket. Abandoning her lost shoe, Bella grabbed her bag and fled.

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><p>Edward cursed without opening his eyes. It was Sunday, who the hell would be ringing him on Sunday. His crew knew that Sunday was his day and unless there was a nuclear emergency they weren't to call him. So trying to ignore it he rolled over; that's when he heard the door click shut. Reaching behind him, he hoped to encounter Bella's warm body but his heart told him, as his fingers found cool cotton, that she had been the reason for the door clicking shut. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed he reached for his pants and pulled his still ringing phone from the pocket. Scrubbing a hand over his face he checked the caller ID and seeing his mothers' number he flipped the phone open and wished his mother a happy birthday. "Oh thank you so much Edward you really are so sweet. I received your flowers this morning. They're gorgeous, now you know Charlie has organised a lunch for me today and I know you're busy but I want you to come. Your brother's are coming and so is Isabella." At the mention of Bella's name Edward felt his heart skip a beat, an annoying habit it had formed from the minute he met her; then resumed its beating double time. Talking over his mother he assured her that he'd be there and after hanging up he dialled Bella's number, her answering service picked up, so he left her a message.<p>

He felt himself smile in spite of his situation Bella had always bought the best or worse out in him. He knew it was because he was insanely attracted to her and had wanted to sleep with her from the minute he had set eyes on her. She had been cuddled up to her boyfriend Jacob when they had been introduced but the minute their hands had touched and he saw the flicker of desire in her deep sea green eyes he had known that at one stage they would end up together, but after knowing each other for almost four and a half years he had all but given up hope because Bella and Jacob had gotten engaged. As they had booked everything for the wedding, Bella had gone to surprise Jacob with a picnic lunch, she had walked into his office to see him having sex with the lady who delivered his lunch; Bella had called the wedding off and kicked Jacob to the curb. Edward knew she was hurt but Bella put on this brave front and carried on like nothing had happened, until last night anyway. Bending down to pick up his discarded boxers he spotted a shiny black stiletto hiding under the bedside table. He pulled it free and dangled it from his finger, he grinned as he remembered the night before. He had been extremely stressed out because it had been raining continually for two weeks and his crews were getting restless and really behind on their jobs, so feeling the need to blow off steam he had gone into town to a brand new club he had heard of; he had been ordering a drink when he had spotted Bella at the end of the bar with her back to him. He walked around the bar and sat watching her; she had been talking to her best friend Angela with a look of grief on her beautiful face, tears had welled in those fathomless eyes and Edward felt his protective instincts kick in. He had walked close enough to hear her conversation but with his back to them and with all the people in the club and the fact she was concentrating on her inner pain, she hadn't seen him and he was close enough to eavesdrop. "I can't believe he married her, today of all days. How inconsiderate can a person get?" Bella rummaged through her purse for a tissue to dab her eyes with, when Angela; patting her shoulder said "I know sweetie but he's a guy and as long as they're getting what they want it doesn't matter about anything else. He probably forgot that today was supposed to be your wedding day, plus look at the bright side, it rained today. That's Gods way of saying that he's making a mistake." Angela hugged Bella tightly pulling her further away from Edward who wanted to find Jacob and kill him for hurting her.

He had never been Jacob's biggest fan and when Bella had called off the wedding he had let her know what kind of a dick her ex had been but he never thought that Jacob had a cruel streak. It had been then that Edward had decided to make Bella's night great but forgettable so the pain wouldn't be so bad. So that was what he did, he walked away from them and back around the bar to come at them from the front. "Hello lovely ladies, can I buy you a drink?" Angela had smiled welcomely but Bella had shaken her head before he had finished his sentence "No, thanks anyway. We're not interested." But Edward hadn't taken no for an answer and before long they were all chatting and laughing like never before. At about three am Angela decided to call it quits and go home, Edward had expected Bella to leave with her but Bella had surprised him and remained.

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><p>About an hour later Bella had collapsed in the seat beside him and declared herself ready for bed, his mind had leapt at the possibilities that statement held but had offered to drive her home instead, or to their parents' home since it was closer, she had nixed that idea before it had even been completely voiced "I don't want to go there, I already feel like a failure in the relationship department, I don't need to be exposed to their loved up antics but I don't want to go home either because home is quiet and it'll just allow me time to think. I'm just gonna get a room nearby." Bella snuggled closer as she spoke and Edward mutter something unintelligible, she leant over and kissed him fully on the mouth, saying "Ed will you stay with me?" she wrapped her arms around him and he knew that she could've asked anything of him and he would have done it and smiled the entire time. They had left the club and checked into some seedy pay-by-the-hour motel with a green neon flashing sign out the front. They had made it most of the way to the room without touching but in the elevator Edward noticed a bit of string in her hair, he had reached out to remove it and the rest as they say is history.<p>

As Bella left the motel, sans a shoe, she was determined she wasn't going to think about Edward. She was thankful for the way he had treated her the night before and if the truth be told Bella had never experienced anything in the vicinity of what had happened with Edward. He was definitely in a league of his own, he was gentle and caring and he knew how to please a woman. Unwittingly Bella flashed back to the moment Edward had touched her; it had been the first time all night.

He had stepped closer in the small confines of the dingy elevator, reached his hand out to her hair and pulled a bit of string from its curly mass. She had looked into his eyes and had felt her mouth go dry at the look of raw lust in his gaze. She licked her lips and watched with growing anticipation as his pupils dilated and his breathing had hitched in his chest. She felt his big hand cradle her head as he lowered his mouth to hers. That first touch was electric, every nerve ending in her body tingled and sang; never before had a single kiss turned her on as that one did. Bella felt Edward increase the pressure on her lips and she opened for him, duelling with his tongue. She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around his neck, and ground her hips against him in blatant invitation. Vaguely, as if from a distance, Bella heard the ding of the doors opening and without relinquishing her hold on Edward they manoeuvred their way out of the elevator and along the corridor, mindless of the fact that it was a public place, to their room. Once inside she was stunned as Edward pushed her up against the closed door and lifting her legs he stepped between them and proceeded to make love to her.


	2. Chapter 2

As the taxi she was riding in took a corner rather quickly Bella was returned to the present in a bumpy way, gripping the handle above the door she stared at the flash of steel, chrome, and glass that made up the streets of Seattle she could feel her nails digging into her palms but she could also feel the way Edward had felt under her hands the night before. She clutched her purse closer and felt the vibrating of her phone, digging the tiny cell out of her bag she read the display, Edward, and she knew that there was no way in hell she was going to speak to him with no one around. Dumping the phone back into her bag she stared resolutely out of the car window but no matter how determined she was to pretend like the night before hadn't happened she couldn't prevent it replaying itself within her brain.

Edward dropped his phone on the bed in his apartment, cursing that she wouldn't pick up, dragging his clothing from his body he walked to the bathroom to take a shower. As he tugged his shirt over his head he caught a whiff of Bella's perfume and was tossed unceremoniously back into that shabby motel room, re-living the same memories as Bella at the same time.

He knew the moment that he stepped between Bella's soft silky thighs that his life as he knew it was over, he couldn't get enough of her; her scent, her taste, the feel of her surrounding him. She was an expensive drug and he was an addict. He drifted his hand down the side of her face and along her exposed collar bone, lifting her top and bra in one swift movement and he kissed his way down to her breast, lathing them in adoration; he heard her impatient mewling and grasping her closer he dropped his hands to her thighs and running his palms along her legs he bunched her skirt around her hips. "Ed, please don't stop. Oh my lord, please." Edward was finding it more and more difficult to restrain himself from entering her right at that moment but all of his experience screamed at him. Rubbing his palm inwards to the junction of her thighs he cupped her moist centre, thanking whatever god it had been that had made Bella not wear panties. Stroking her core he could sense her excitement building and he selfishly wanted to watch her come. Edward was concentrating so hard on Bella that he missed when she went from submissive participant to dominant partner. He jerked slightly as he felt her hand on the fly of his jeans but sighed in ecstasy when she freed him from the confines of his boxers, he heard his own breathing turn ragged and he quickly lost control.

Grasping her torturous hand and stilling it he whispered "Bella stop or we're gonna be finished before we really started" he grinned as she pouted and replied "Well I don't think it's fair that you get to have all the fun, I demand equal rights, and besides I want you inside me as I come." And with that all conversation stopped. Gripping her closer and adjusting her butt in his palms Edward felt her position him at the entrance of her honeyed shaft and lost what little control he had regained. He thrust deeply into her and her whimpers of desire fuelled him. Shifting her balance against the door he run his fingers between her thighs finding her clitoris and applying sweet pressure, he felt her stiffen and rubbed his finger again and again over that torturous spot until her cries urged him on, harder and faster inside Bella who shattered only seconds before he did. Edward dropped his head onto her shoulder, trying to catch his breath and Bella seemed to be having the same problem. He could hear her whispering "wow" over and over again, he smiled and carried her into the room and lowered her onto the bed and snuggled up beside her.

Bella had sobered up, slightly, by that point but she wasn't going to let Edward know that. As she lay in the circle of his arms she knew that she'd never let him know just what this night was meaning to her. She rolled away from him and stood up beside the bed, she stared down at his fabulous body and realised that tonight was going to be the only night that she'd ever get to see his body, examine and memorise it for herself and at her leisure. So she decided to make the most of her night and boldly walked towards the bathroom, turning her head she said "Ed just wondering if you'd like to join me for a shower? But if you're not, you know, up to it than don't worry." She got as far as the doorway before he was behind her all hot hands and hard body, for Bella sex had always been a thing you did in a bed but after sex with Edward she was rethinking that theory, especially as he made love to her in the shower.

Back in the present Bella was contemplating how she was going to retrieve her shoe from the room they had shared while showering and getting ready for lunch. In the end she decided to ring the motel and ask them to keep it for her and she would pick it up later, but fate had another plan "I'm sorry Mrs Cullen" Bella didn't bother correcting the woman on the use of Edwards' last name as her own "But there wasn't any shoe found in your room. Is there anything else I can help you with?" Bella thanked the helpful woman and hung up. Dropping her phone beside her Bella swore long and loud, jumping to her feet she started pacing her floor, if the shoe wasn't in the room than that means that Edward had it and if he had it then he could very well use it to embarrass her and torment her for the remainder of her life. Noticing the time she scooped up her keys and left the safety of her apartment for the uncertainty of lunch with her father and step-mother.

The drive to Forks was uneventful and even though it was a gorgeous February day, one that screamed spring was on its way; Bella was feeling a bone deep chill over seeing Edward at their respective parents home. As she swung her tiny compact into the massive driveway she flinched as she spotted Edward's sports car, Emmett and Rosalie's sedan along with Jasper and Alice's four wheel drive; she hadn't wanted to be the last to arrive, she wasn't sure how to act around him while they were alone let alone in front of the rest of the family. Stopping her car behind his she slipped from behind the steering wheel and steeling herself; she walked up the front steps and let herself into the house she had grown up in. She knew that when everyone one was home that they ate out on the patio at the rear of the house. As she walked into the kitchen she found her way blocked by a solid wall of warm human. "Careful Bella, you could have hurt yourself and trust me after seeing what is beneath your clothes last night there is no way I want that to happen." Bella felt, more than saw, his chuckle and quickly stepped out of his arms, her nerves, already stretched taught, stretched even further and she snapped without thinking "Yeah well after last night I know that you're damaged and I didn't see anything I'd want to see again." She felt bad but self preservation won out over kindness. She made to push past but he stuck out his arm and pulled her close whispering in her ear "I'm sure that having sex with me four times in one night might make it seem like you have seen it all but trust me, there is always more." Jerking away she walked past him, plastering a wide fake smile onto her face, and out onto the patio where their family sat. She greeted them warmly, kissing everyone and giving Esme her present she wished her many happy returns; she apologised for being late but offered no explanations for her lateness. She sat in the seat next to her father, grateful that Edward chose one across from her after he followed her out of the house; grateful that was until she realised that he was checking her out at every opportunity and she couldn't do anything about it without drawing unnecessary attention to the two of them, so she just had to grin and bear it.

Her father reached for Esme's hand and smiled at her with such love and affection that Bella felt sad that she had never had the love they shared. Lost in her own maudlin thoughts she missed a toast being made to Esme, it only registered because everyone was raising their glasses and Bella did it reflexively, she vowed to herself that she was going to pay more attention to the celebrations rather than her own pathetic state of affairs. She sipped the orange juice that had been handed out instead of champagne, vaguely wondering why it was orange juice, when Jasper cleared his throat and said "Actually we have another reason to celebrate, Alice and I are having a baby. Come January we're gonna be welcoming a new little Cullen into the fold." A commotion erupted and the sound was in-proportionate to the amount of people there. Everybody kissing and hugging Jaz and Alice asking questions and congratulating them, Bella joined in on the congratulations but inside she was hurting. She was wondering if her chance at happiness had been taken when Jacob had cheated on her, she wanted the lot; a home, a husband, a couple of kids, and she didn't think it was too much to ask.

After everyone had calmed down and lunch had been enjoyed Bella thought she might have escaped Edward saying anything to embarrass her; her complacency was badly rewarded. He struck as coffee was being served "So Bella how are you feeling after last night?" Bella glared at the look of faux concern on his handsome face and smiling stiffly she said "Fine, thank you." She shot him a silent plea to drop the topic but the question had been heard by Rosalie; who was a major sticky beak, she asked "Why? What happened last night?" both Edward and Bella answered at the same time "Nothing" from Bella and "I bumped into Bella at a club last night, she and Angela were out and about. Angela left early and I drove Bella home." Bella felt her face burn as an image of Edwards driving into her flashed through her mind. Beside a comment about calling her Bella (from Esme, who thought the nick-name he had given her was un-lady like) her family seemed to accept his version of events without hesitation because the subject was, thankfully, dropped.


	3. Chapter 3

Obviously I don't own the Twilight stuff, I dont' mean any harm & I hope you enjoy the story

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><p>Edward could see that Bella was furious with him but he knew that she wouldn't say so. He watched as his gorgeous nieces and nephew raced up to Bella and pleaded with her to go swimming with them; he could tell by her smile that she was going to agree to the swim even though she had to be exhausted both physically and mentally after the night before. Excusing himself he went into the house and waited for Bella to come inside and get changed. He stood inside the room that Bella used as her own, he didn't have long to wait and within minutes Bella let herself into the room, shutting the door behind her and leaning her forehead against the cool wood. "Bella are you sure you're really okay?" Edward had spoken quietly but his voice still startled Bella enough to make her jump and spin around with her hand clasped to her heart. He saw her arm herself against him and when she spoke it was cool and distant "I've already told you, I'm fine. Now can you get out, I need to change, I've promised the kids and I can't keep them waiting." Bella walked past him and opened a draw and pulled out a bathing suit, Edward wasn't fooled by her nonchalance "Don't lie Bella, I know you, emotionally and physically." Pulling her around to face him he felt a flash of desire rush through his body, emanating from the contact with her bare arm. Any thoughts he had flew out the window and the one thing he needed was to kiss her, the need was overwhelming, so he kissed her; a soft, gentle kiss with no intense heat but one that conveyed all of his pent up emotions.<p>

Bella stood still, shocked, as Edward kissed her but within seconds of his lips touching hers she felt heat pooling low in her stomach, reaching her arms up she wrapped them around his neck. Time stood still as they embraced, what had started as a sweet kiss quickly turned into a passionate clinch. Tongues duelled and bodies entwined, falling sideways onto the bed, panting in desire they greedily grasped at one another. Shifting clothes and opening zips; both hungry for one another, a hunger that only physical contact could abate, Bella opened her legs and guiding Edward into her centre she groaned in completion as he entered her, filling her completely. Mewling in desire Bella drew Edward deeper inside her urging him on quicker, deeper, and harder. She felt her insides clench signalling her climax, she panted and cried out his name as it ripped through her.

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><p>Edward felt her powerful climax and his own completion followed hers by mere seconds, kissing the side of her neck he tried to control his breathing; he tangled his hand in her hair angling her head so he could kiss her mouth. She sighed and opened her mouth to kiss him back when a knock at the door froze them both. Bella shoved at Edward's shoulders and called out "Hang on a sec, I'm getting changed." She held her hand over his mouth, glaring at him and motioning for him to keep quiet. Edward heard his step-fathers' voice from the other side of the door "Hey kiddo, have you seen Edward? He left the patio just before you did but I can't find him anywhere." He felt Bella sigh and dropped his gaze, and his mouth, to her glorious breasts. He heard her breathing hitch before she spoke "I don't know Daddy, I haven't seen him since lunch. Give me a sec and I'll finish getting dressed and I'll help you look for him." He lathed her nipple with his tongue, enjoying the way her cheeks coloured and her eyes darkened but when he heard Charlie walk away she shoved him off her, she scrambled from the bed and he grabbed her dragging her back "Bella, come here, we need to talk."<p>

Bella felt her heart skip a beat and then start beating faster, knocking his hands away from her she said "Stop it Ed. Now! This is over, we are not doing this again, my _Dad_ is looking for you, _your_ Mother and brothers are sitting outside waiting for us. Now get out, don't ask if I'm okay, it has nothing to do with you. For that matter don't speak to me, don't even look at me. This was a huge mistake." She opened the door and searched the hallway to make sure it was clear, turning she avoided his gaze while he re-adjusted his clothes, she held the door open and as he neared her she felt herself stiffen. He stopped in front of her and tipped her chin so that she had no choice but to look at him and said "This, thing, we have I don't think it can ever be over. This just proves that, we need to sort this out because if you start avoiding me and I stop talking to you and stop looking at you then our family is going to know something is going on. I will try to not touch you again, but I won't stop talking to you Bella, not even if that will make it easier for you." Jerking her chin out of his hand she walked away from him and into the en-suite.

Edward left her room with a shake of his head and went in search of Charlie. He was in the middle of a discussion over planned renovations when he saw Bella again, she was dripping wet and towelling his nephew dry while making sure his nieces didn't kill one another. She was laughing and pulling funny faces at the kids, and Edward knew that that was what he wanted her to be like around him; the fun and carefree Bella but all he got was the angry dismissive Bella, unless they were making love, he wanted to see her smile like that at him, he wanted to be able to have a conversation with her that didn't result in her walking away from him. He wanted her to love him; that thought blind-sided him causing him to choke on his coffee but he recognised the truth in it, he had wanted her for as long as they had known one another but he thought it had been just a sexual thing, now he knew that it was something deeper and more meaningful than that.

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><p>Bella wanted to crawl into her bed and sleep for a week but her family expected her there to help celebrate. She avoided Edward as much as possible, she refused to look at him, spoke to him when she had to and was generally polite but she couldn't push her heart any further than that. She tried to stay out of the conversations that everyone was having but the world was cruel and suddenly she found herself the centre of the conversation. Esme had been reading the newspaper, because Charlie had put an announcement in for her birthday, when all of a sudden she exclaimed "Charlie, look it's Jacob! It says here that he got married yesterday. Isabella did you know? Is that why you went out last night?" Esme passed her dad the newspaper and looked expectantly at Bella, she really wanted to pretend she hadn't heard but everyone was looking at her waiting for her answer, everyone except Edward. Taking a deep breath she said "Yes, I knew, but I wanted to get away from everything. I just didn't want to deal with it." Bella kept her gaze diverted from the compassionate looks her family where aiming at her, she could feel tears welling up in her eyes. "Isabella Marie, how could you not tell us about this?" Bella heard some disappointment in her fathers' words, she hated hearing it there over something she had done, but she swallowed her tears and speaking softly she said "Yesterday would've been my wedding day, but I found my fiancé having sex with another woman; if that wasn't enough he informs me that he loves this other woman and that he no longer wants to marry me. I thought being jilted couldn't get worse, I was wrong. Two days ago he calls me up and informs me that they were getting married, saying that since everything had been booked they thought they'd use it, and he didn't want me reading about it in the newspaper because he still cared for me. So instead of being the happiest day of my life it was the suckiest. I asked my best friend to help me drown my sorrows and help me forget. I'm sorry that I kept this from everyone but I was hurting enough without everyone's pity and sympathy. I wanted escape, and I found it" memories of the night before flashing through her head she thought 'boy did I find it' but she just said "Jacob is happy, I have moved on so can we please drop the subject and forget that yesterday was anything but Saturday, please?" murmurs of agreement were forthcoming from her family but something made her look at Edward, and she didn't see the shock her announcement had caused in the others, what she did see was compassion and anger at Jacob, she got a gut feeling that he had already known the reason for her 'celebration'. Excusing herself to get another drink Bella left her family sitting, talking quietly on the patio, she opened the fridge door and stood, without seeing, the insides of the fridge. "Was I a good distraction?" she swivelled around and looked into Edward's handsome face, without thinking about it she went to him and laid her head on his chest saying "You were the best thing about last night, thank you."<p>

Wrapping her within his arms Edward dropped a quick kiss on her head, he felt annoyance as she thanked him but he wanted to let her know that she wasn't alone, that he was there for her. Hugging her closer he allowed the voice in his head to cheer at having her within his arms again until he heard her sniffle. He held her quietly while she cried out all her pain and anger at the ways she had been cheated. Trying to make her feel better he said "The guy's a dick, he doesn't know what he's missing, you are an amazing person, not to mention an awesome lover." He watched her head lift slowly so she could see his face and her tear clogged voice asked "You think so?" chuckling he nodded and pressed her against the steadily growing hard on he was getting. Her eyes widened and she licked her lips but before the conversation could go any further they were interrupted by his big brother. Emmett's eyes widened at seeing them hugging but when he saw Bella's eyes he smiled sadly and grabbing a can of cola out of the fridge he said "You take your time, no one can blame you." Looking at Edward he said "Hey Ed can I see you for a sec." Letting Bella go Edward said quietly "I won't be far, will you be okay?" at her nod her followed Emmett into the lounge room.


	4. Chapter 4

Emmett waited until he had shut the door before exploding quietly "What the hell was that?" he asked gesturing to the closed door. Edward drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, thinking about the way to put it "Nothing I was just comforting her." Nice it wasn't too sappy but it wasn't too cold either. Emmett rolled his eyes and said "Look, we know how you feel about Bella, well Jasper and I know anyway. I think if Charlie knew he might have killed you by now, it's written all over you when you see her, man you need to be careful. Think about Bella, she has been hurt enough she doesn't really need this right now." Edward felt his blood pressure rise and through clenched teeth he snarled "I would never hurt her, nothing is going on and I would appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourself." Edward stormed away from his brother and back into the kitchen, all of his anger draining away when he saw the small smile on Bella's face when he entered the room. Grabbing a drink he said "let's go back outside." Ushering her out he glanced behind him at Emmett and rolled his eyes ignoring the warning look his brother shot him.

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><p>Life moved on from that not so easy to forget weekend and Bella found herself busy with her boutique as November came to a close. With Christmas only weeks away she was swamped and she was finding it exceptionally easy to avoid her family and even easier to avoid Edward, who had called her several times to talk. She found herself wishing, quite regularly, that she had never slept with Edward because before they had sex she had had a vague notion of what she was missing and now that she knew exactly what she was missing it was killing her. She had become snappy and easily angered, even Angela, who was normally hard to irritate, was quick to point out that she needed to pull her head in.<p>

This was what Bella was thinking about as she stood on a step ladder in the furthest corner of her shop, when she heard the tiny bell over the door tinkle, heralding a customer, she didn't even bother to look. Angela and Bree were both extremely capable sales assistants, so she continued hanging the new stock. Stepping on to the top step of the ladder Bella reached for a vintage gown hanging just out of her reach, instead of getting off the ladder and moving it she leaned further out to grab it, when a voice from behind her made her swivel and lose her footing. She felt herself falling but couldn't stop herself. She heard Angela's startled cry and Edward's gasp of surprise all in slow motion, except her body wasn't falling in slow motion, trying to stop herself she threw out her hands, as she hit the ground there was a sharp crack and excruciating pain radiating up her arm. Crying out in agony Bella rolled to her side and grasped her arm to her chest, instantly Edward was at her side "Bella are you okay? Hold still, we're gonna check you out before you move. Where does it hurt?" Gentle he cradled her arm when she held it out to him, he asked her other questions and once he was sure that it was just her arm that hurt he moved away and yelled instructions to Bree.

Edward had never felt as helpless as he had while he had stood and watched Bella tumble off the ladder. He had tried to grab her but had been just out of reach. The other assistant, who had come running at the crash, stood white and panicky as he screamed at her to get some ice. He gently picked Bella up off the floor and carried her to a chair in the back room, all the time listening to her insist on walking. "I'm fine! My wrist hurts not my legs. Honestly, let me walk. Edward put me down, Ang tell him I'm okay." He heard Bella pleading with the one person she could always count on to be on her side, unfortunately, Angela was more concerned about Bella than Bella was about herself. "Was that another dizzy spell? Jesus Bells, I asked you to get that checked out. When are you gonna start taking care of yourself. That's it. If Edward is taking you to the hospital then I'm coming and I'm gonna tell them about you getting dizzy all over the place and not eating. Yes I know you thought I hadn't noticed but I have, so there" Bella glared at Angela but she knew that there was no point in arguing with her, once she had made up her mind that was it. Edward's head swung between the women as if he were watching a tennis match, after hearing Angela's comment on Bella's health he was more worried than before. Of course he had noticed that Bella had lost weight but if Angela was to be believed there was other stuff going on with her as well. He wanted her to get the proper care so he bundled them into his car and drove them to the hospital, the drive took half the time it normally would because he broke every speed limit on the way.

Unfortunately he hadn't factored in the wait in a busy ER department, after an hour and a half Bella was finally seen by the admitting nurse; an elderly woman who stood about four feet tall and looked like a strong wind might blow her away. The minute she opened her mouth Edward knew she knew what she was talking about, she asked Bella what had happened and examined her wrist, then she listened as Angela explained that Bella hadn't been eating and had been having dizzy spells, she seemed more interested than concerned saying "Okay dear. Why don't we take some blood and urine samples while we wait for the doctor to come and x-ray your wrist, though we can probably safely say that it's broken, that way we can find out why you're having dizzy spells and not eating." Smiling she directed them to another part of the hospital, by the time they had returned Bella had gone grey from the pain. She hated showing any form of weakness but the pain had gone past her threshold, going to the counter she said "I really need something for the pain, it's getting really unbearable." The pretty nurse behind the desk smiled, in what Bella assumed was supposed to be a reassuring manner but Bella just found it irritating, but her words lessened Bella's irritation. "Actually the doctor can see you know, he wants to ask you some questions; alone. If your friends don't mind waiting out here for you..." Instantly Edward spoke "I do mind actually, very much." But Bella touched his arm and said "That's fine." And followed her into the exam room, where she was handed a gown and given some privacy to put it on. Within seconds of her having completed this rather difficult task, owing to the fact that she could only use one hand, the doctor arrived. Bella heard the doctor and the nurse come back, she called through the curtain to them to let them know that they could come in. "Hello Miss Swan, what did you do to yourself?" the doctor, a youngish man with sandy coloured hair and big grey eyes behind wire framed spectacles, glanced up quickly from his notes and did a double take before staring un-professionally at Bella.

Bella wasn't used to being stared at, she knew she was pretty but she had never believed that she was pretty enough to get double-takes. The way he was looking at her made her feel slightly uncomfortable, it was as if he had never seen anyone as beautiful as she was, and it gave Bella the creeps. Trying to get his attention to be more professional she glanced down at her arm and told him what had happened at the boutique. He nodded his head through her story and said "Okay I was just given the results of your urine test; now the admitting nurse had made some notes here saying that you have had dizzy spells and haven't been eating. She had you get some blood tests and the results for those won't be back until tomorrow but it is what your urine showed us that I need to discuss with you but I need to ask you a few questions. My first is how have you been feeling, my second is how often have you been getting these dizzy spells and the third is why haven't you been eating." He looked up from her notes and waited for her to speak.

Bella felt irritation at everyone's focus on the few dizzy spells and the fact that she had been too busy to really eat properly. Her annoyance was tempered by the fact that people cared enough for her to worry, so she answered the doctors questions "I've been feeling a bit fatigued, you know, no matter how much sleep I get I'm still tired. The dizzy spells have been more frequent over the last couple of weeks but I've always had low blood pressure which causes dizzy spells if I move to quickly, as for the eating. I don't know, I've been really busy and sometimes I forget to eat, other times I just don't feel like it and then other times I feel really hungry and go to eat and feel like I'm gonna vomit. So I guess I've got to persevere and eat smaller meals more often." She smiled at the doctor, in hopes that he would let the subject drop and just fix her arm but his speculative look made Bella lose her temper and she snapped "Look, I promise to eat better and not to climb ladders, could you please fix my arm and give me something for the pain because it is absolutely killing me." Bella moved and grimaced in pain, she looked at the doctor when cleared his throat nervously and when he spoke it was to his clip board and not her "Um, we need to discuss that actually, Miss Swan did you realise that you are pregnant?"


	5. Chapter 5

Bella felt a strange buzzing fill her head as the doctor finished speaking, she laughed out loud until she saw the serious look on his face. Still smiling she said "Sorry doc but that was funny. There is no way I can be pregnant. None! Absolutely zilch, I haven't had sex in almost four months and I've had my period since then." The look of concern the doctor was shooting at her was beginning to get on her last nerve but before she could give him a piece of her mind he spoke "I'm guessing this news comes as a surprise, however the tests are pretty accurate, judging by the look of disbelief on your face I need to ask, if you have had any sexual encounters that have been, um, less than consensual." Bella flinched as the meaning of his words sunk in. "NO! God no, nothing like that; okay, wow, um, oh boy. I have no idea what to say to that, a baby. Are you certain?" she was so stunned by his nod that the pain in her arm had even dulled. Sitting up straighter and as her arm twinged she gasped "Oh my god has the baby been hurt? You know by my fall? Can you tell?" she had never really thought about being a mum but now that the decision had been removed from her she was determined to be a good one, and the idea that she may have hurt the tiny life inside her made her feel sick to her stomach.

The doctor held up his hands and spoke, trying to calm her down "We are going to give you an ultrasound to check on the baby; so if can lie back we can get started. Do you want your friends in here?" he stopped as she sat up and said "No, I don't want them in here." Seeing the speculative look he shot her she continued "I need to let this sink in before I tell anyone, especially if something has happened when I fell off the ladder today." Bella pretended to ignore the doctors raised eyebrows and pursed lips.

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><p>Out in the waiting room Edward paced back and forth across the floor, he had been doing this since Bella had left them standing there. He felt the heavy weight of guilt settle deep in his stomach over his role in Bella's fall. If he had've waited until she had climbed down off the ladder before speaking to her she might not have been so surprised and she wouldn't have fallen off the ladder. He was conscious of Angela's gaze following his movements but he couldn't bring himself to engage her in a conversation. He spotted the admitting nurse and rushed over to ask her about Bella, she smiled at him and said "I'm sorry but I can't release any information to you about her. I can tell you that she is with the doctor now and that they may be a while." Patting his arm reassuringly she walked away, Edward didn't want her reassurance, he wanted Bella before him and her smiling as she told him that she was okay.<p>

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><p>In the tiny cubicle Bella swore the doctor could hear her heart beating from within her chest as he squirted the gel over her stomach and rubbed the wand across her lower abdomen and within seconds a grainy image flashed on the screen. The Doctor took some measurements and said "Looks like you have a healthy fourteen week old foetus. Let's hear this little one's heart beat." A quick swishing sound suddenly filled the room and the sound caused her eyes to well with tears. She was holding her breath without realising it but as the doctor declared her baby healthy she felt her breath escape in a giant rush. Bella nodded but for the life of her she couldn't have told anyone what was what on the screen but as the doctor moved the wand across her stomach he gave a running commentary of what appeared on the screen, which she was eternally grateful for. The doctor told her to sit up as he printed out some photos of the baby, he then told her because she was pregnant that they needed to be creative about checking the damage to her arm, the results didn't surprise him "Yep there is a clean break just above the wrist and a greenstick fracture below that. We will plaster it but the pain relief is going to be a problem, because of the baby it won't be anything much more powerful than over the counter paracetamol." Bella was in too much of a stunned head space for the pain to register above an ache. She listened to the instructions the doctor gave her on how to manage her pain without endangering the baby, he also gave her the name of an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Promising to call and make an appointment Bella left with her arm plastered and in a sling and the grainy images of her baby in her pocket, safely hidden from Edward.<p>

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><p>"Are you okay? Is your arm hurting? Do you need anything? What about a drink, maybe something to eat?" Bella sighed in frustration "Edward everything is fine, the doctor told me to go home and rest, he didn't tell me to get wrapped in cotton wool. I don't need to go to Dad and Esme's, honestly I'm fine, I just need to take my tablets and get some sleep." Edward wasn't listening, his guilt was eating at him and he was determined to make sure that Bella was well taken care of, so after they had dropped Angela back at the boutique he had insisted on taking her to their parents home. He pulled his car to a halt in front of the house, ordered her not to move and jumping out of the drivers' seat and racing around to her door he helped her out of the car. At the front door they were met by Jasper who took in Bella's plastered wrist, white face, and Edward's guilty expression and swore out loud. "Edward what the hell did you do? Bells, are you okay? Come on let's get you inside and you can tell us what happened and Alice can have a peak at your discharge papers. Okay, let's go." Jasper moved out of the door way and tailed Bella and Edward down the hall and into the family room.<p>

At their entrance a cacophony of noise erupted from the group, with everyone asking questions. Bella felt the pain in her wrist worsening but she knew that if she didn't tell her family what had happened then she'd never get to crawl into a bed like she longed to do. "It's nothing really. Here Alice, Jasper said that you'd want to see these, the doctor says I'm fine." And without thinking she handed her discharge papers to her sister-in-law, it wasn't until she saw Alice's stunned face that she remembered the ultrasound pictures tucked inside the folded slips of paper. Trying silently to convey to Alice that she didn't want anyone to know, Bella pleaded with her eyes and seeing Alice's nod she relaxed but unfortunately she failed to take in Esme's keen eyesight, her step-mothers squeal of delight made the others in the room jump. "Oh my goodness, are those what I think they are?" and before Alice could stop her Esme had seized the photos and was showing them around "You're having a baby! Charlie we're getting another grandchild."

The room broke into excited congratulations with her father coming to hug her and ask if she was okay. Bella looked up to find Edward only to look into his angry face, she watched as he snatched the pictures from his mother and stared down at their unborn child. He looked into her eyes and asked in a dead tone "Bella were you going to tell me? How could you keep this from me?" His anger and the fact that he believed she had deceived him shone clear and before she could speak and ask him to talk with her away from everyone else Esme turned to her youngest son and said "Edward I wish you wouldn't call her Bella, she isn't eighteen anymore, and another thing why would you think that Isabella needed to tell you anything?" Edward snarled at his mother in anger, actually causing her to step back in alarm, but when he spoke it was deceptively calmly. "Oh I don't know Mum, maybe because up until four months ago _Bella_" he placed a greater emphasis on the shortened version of her name, a nick name he had given her, before continuing "hadn't had sex with anyone since she and Jacob split. I can see you thinking 'how does he know that' I know because she told me so, after we had sex." And with that Edward strode from the room, ignoring the calls from his family to come back, the slamming of the front door signalling his defiance.

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><p>Bella felt her blood rush to her feet and swayed on the spot, her oxygen deprived brain struggling to comprehend what Edward had said and done. Her obvious distress was noticed by Jasper who guided her to a seat and gently pushed her head between her knees while she waited for the spell to pass. Her only thought was 'why would he do that to me'. She heard the others organising to go in search of Edward. Standing slowly, with Rosalie at her elbow, she said robotically "I can't do this. Excuse me." And she fled the family room for the relative safety of her room, where she flung herself onto the bed and curling into a ball, cried herself to sleep.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

Edward had fled the house in a hazy cloud of red rage and deceit. He was furious that she hadn't said anything after falling the way she did. This affected both their lives, how could she not have told him, jumping into his car he screamed out of the drive way and raced First Beach. Ditching his clothes and grabbing board shorts from the backseat he ran for the ocean. Swimming out past the breakers, anger fuelled him and as a large wave rolled in he caught it and body surfed it back to shore. He repeated this action too many times to count until a thought struck him like lightening, causing him to miss time the next wave and swallow a lungful of salt water, what if Bella had only just found out and hadn't had time to tell him or, more accurately, known how to tell him. That thought propelled him towards the shore but as his feet struck wet sand he felt a pool of emotional distress open up inside him, he had opened his mouth and blurted out that they had had sex and then just ran away. Guilt replaced the anger her had been feeling, he wanted to go to her and apologize but he also knew that he wasn't ready to have an adult conversation with Bella about the whole situation. He needed to sort out how he felt before going and talking to her about their next steps.

So he sat on the darkening beach running through all the things that popped into his head, he wanted to be clear on the way he felt. As the night grew steadily darker his thoughts grew clearer. He loved Bella and that hadn't changed. He knew that she felt something for him because of the emotions she had displayed while they had made love. Suddenly he realised that he was going to be a father and he realised at that exact moment that he wanted to be a father more than anything in the entire world. Getting to his feet he made his way back to the car and drove back to Bella.

"Mummy look, look what I found." A little boy, of maybe four, was tugging on her hand, stunned Bella drank in the perfect little person before her. He was the most precious little person she had ever seen; he had a thick crop of dark curly hair which hung over his forehead partially covering one almond shaped bright green eye, eyes that were pleading with her; he had a cupids' bow mouth and his chin tilted at a defiant angle. Bella reached out her hand to smooth the curls back from the small angels' face and crouching down she opened her mouth to speak when a deep voice sounded from way above them both. "Samuel how many times do I have to tell you that at the moment Mummy can't climb the tree to see the bird's nest that we found. I also told you that we could take a picture and show Mummy later." Bella stood and smiled tentatively at Edward as he looked down at their son with a lovingly stern gaze, Bella found herself saying "I'm okay, let's go see that nest" she reached for the whooping child's hand. She felt like her heart was going to break as Edward placed his palm over her swollen stomach saying "You need to rest, we want this baby to be as healthy as Samuel." She felt tears fill her eyes when he leant over and brushed her mouth with his and whispered to her "I love you Bells, don't forget that. Come on Sammy let's go show Mummy what we discovered." As Bella followed the two figures became blurry and distorted; replaced by the image of Edward earlier with betrayal and hurt mingling in his eyes. Bella cried out in her dream for him to listen to her but he had turned and walked away. As if from far away she heard Edward's voice soft and reassuring, murmuring nonsensical things that made her calm down.

Edward had let himself into the quiet house without anyone knowing and made a beeline for Bella's room. He had opened the door and stood staring at the woman he loved lying asleep on her bed curled up on her side with her hand cupped protectively over their un-born child. He heard her sigh with contentment and as he drew close enough to see her face he saw the most beautiful smile gracing her mouth and he couldn't resist. He shed his clothes and climbed into bed beside her, listening to her breathing. He covered the hand on her stomach with his own and pulled her closer. She sighed in her sleep and Edward felt his heart swell to breaking point as she muttered "I love you Ed" as though in response to the call his heart was making. He held her close and suddenly her body become rigid and she started mewling in distress, he didn't know if he should wake her but he decided to let her sleep but he started speaking to her "It's okay Bella I'm here, you'll be alright, I love you Bella. I'm sorry, shhh. I promise I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here, you're okay, shhh." Stroking her curls back from her damp forehead he kissed her cheek and continued to hold her as she quietened down, and he felt himself relax and eventually fall asleep.

When Bella woke again it was dark and peering at the faint glow of her digital clock, which read 1am, she groaned and a sharp pain in her wrist quickly followed by the pressure in her bladder served as a reminder as to why she had woken in the first place. However, she felt warm and safe and it took her a minute to get her sleep fogged brain to realise that she wasn't alone and that at some point Edward had crawled into bed beside her. All her hurt and anger and pain flowed out of her as she watched him sleeping but the persistent ache of pain coming from her wrist made her wiggle towards the edge of the bed trying not to wake him. "Bella where are you going?" he levered himself onto one elbow and stared at her with eyes the exact shade of her dream child. Clearing her throat Bella said "Nowhere, I just need to use the bathroom and take some more painkillers." She shifted his arm and slid from underneath it "Go back to sleep Edward. I'm okay." She stood and padded, barefoot, to the en-suite to use the facilities and grab a glass of water to take her medication.

Edward didn't want to sleep, he wanted to talk. So he decided that he needed to begin the conversation by apologizing. "Bella, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you and the way I reacted earlier today. I'm extremely sorry for blurting to everyone that we had made love. It had really hurt to think that you had kept our baby a secret from me but I know you better than that and even if you hated me, which I hope you don't, you wouldn't keep our child from me. I hope you can forgive me, because we need one another now more than ever."

Bella couldn't hide the hurt that she had been feeling as she said "Edward, look I'm not gonna pretend that I'm okay 'cause I'm far from it. What you did hurt, a lot, and I'm not sure I can forget it in a hurry but I am willing to try and forgive you for doing what you did and saying what you said because I understand how angry you must've felt. Honestly at the moment I haven't had the time or the emotional strength to even consider where we go from here but I do know that we should at least try and co-operate for the baby, it's not healthy for a child to grow up with parents who don't like one another." She paused as he opened his mouth to say something but she held up a hand and continued "Look I'm not in any condition to have this conversation now. I'm tired, sore and emotionally drained. Can we do this some other time?" Bella knew by the look on his face that he wanted to have the discussion right away but she knew he wouldn't push her until she was in a better place.

"Okay, Bella, we'll talk later but know this; now our family knows about us I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for the long haul; I regret more than I can say, telling everybody the way I did but they know now and I couldn't be happier." Edward walked slowly to her side and kissed her cheek softly "Do what you need to do and crawl back into bed. I'll go get you something to eat, do you feel like anything in particular?" he waited semi-patiently before she answered "Fruit please." before leaving the room and padding barefoot to the kitchen.

As he neared the kitchen he noticed that the light was on and that he wasn't likely to be alone to get what Bella needed without having to talk to a member of his family before really sorting anything out with Bella. He paused, mentally, steeling himself for the reprisal he knew he deserved then entered the kitchen. It wasn't either of their parent's, or even Emmett (both he and Rosalie were staying with Rose's mum while the final renovations were being done on their home) no it was a sleep tousled Alice. She stared with disgust at him over the mound of Mango ice-cream on the spoon held in front of her. Edward tried to ignore her, as he busied himself preparing the fruit platter for Bella. He hoped that if he didn't speak to her than maybe Alice would ignore him as well, he should have known better because that tiny pixie woman never let anything go. He had his back to her but her snort of disgust was loud and clear in the spacious kitchen as were her quiet words "Oh, so you decided to come back did you? Mighty big of you to sneak back in, in the middle of the night, and not face any repercussions from that huge bomb you dropped this afternoon. How could you do that to Bella, we know how you feel about her, how could you hurt her like that? If I didn't know you better I'd say that you got your rocks off by inflicting pain and chaos, do you have any idea of what you left Bella dealing with when you stormed out of here like a two year old? Charlie and I had to sedate your mother; she was that distraught, Em and Jaz went looking for you to try and talk some sense into your thick skull, and poor Bella. I have never seen anyone look so betrayed, and hurt, in my entire life. I stood outside her door and listened to her cry herself to sleep. I hope you have a decent explanation because I'm drawing a blank."

If he had felt guilty before, it was nothing compared to what he was feeling as Alice spoke about the fallout from his explosion, clearing his throat he said "I am fully aware of what I've put everyone through, and I fully intend to face everyone and take my lumps and try and make it up to Mum, and Charlie but most especially Bella. We've talked" Edward crossed his fingers behind his back at that white lie "and we need to do more but at the moment she is hungry, in pain, and tired; so if you can spare me the lecture until later that'd be great." turning his back on her he continued to make the fruit platter for Bella, if he thought she was ready to let him go he was mistaken. "If it was me who you spoke to that way, I'd never speak to you again, baby or no baby; what you did goes way beyond letting a secret slip, you betrayed her on the deepest level, ever since Jacob got caught doin' his lunch lady Bella has been a shell of the person she was. I know that betrayal hurt her more than she let on 'cause we talked about it, at length. I think besides Angela, I was the only other person she did talk to. But I have never seen Bella as devastated as she was when you walked out on her this afternoon. So I get that you feel bad but I don't think you realise the damage to her psyche you've done Ed." Picking up the lid of the ice-cream she replaced the tub in the freezer, put her spoon in the sink and walked over to Edward "This year has been exceptionally hard for Bella, now to top everything off everything she has an un-planned pregnancy to cope with plus the added complication of who the father is" she held up her hand to stop him from interrupting and continued "she knows you'll do everything within your power to make things go easier for her but you need to see the other side of the coin; what if something, god forbid, goes wrong with the baby, what if you guys decide to have a relationship, and it doesn't work and if it does work out how will people react. As a woman all these things are circling her head, we have to consider everything and the fall out if things go wrong it's just the way we're wired. Look I'm finally tired, I'll talk to you later in the morning," Alice stood on her toes and kissed his cheek.


	7. Chapter 7

Edward hadn't really considered anything Alice had mentioned and his brain was screaming as he walked back to Bella's room, when he opened the door it was to see her naked back as she lifted a night gown over her head. At the sound of the door she had frozen and he could read her mind as if it were written on a billboard, sighing loudly and putting the fruit platter down he spoke softly "It's okay Bella I'm not gonna jump you, what kind of person do you think I am? I bought you some fruit and a glass of milk; I think I read somewhere that milk is good for healing bones and pregnant women." He shifted his feet so that he was facing away from her, to give her privacy while she dressed, but her words, however softly spoken, sounded like an explosion within the quiet room "Does it fix broken hearts?"

Bella grimaced in disbelief as the words slipped from her mouth. She saw Edward stiffen and felt a sense of twisted satisfaction at his obvious pain; it lasted less than a second and she tried to brush it off as momentary insanity. "Ed, don't worry about me so much, you'll go grey. Then what'll you do? Look thanks for the fruit, can we just forget today happened? I'm in pain and the medication makes my brain fuzzy. So nothing I say can be used against me." Bella tried again when he didn't turn around or answer her "Ed, please. Honestly we don't need to do this right now, I'm gonna try and eat this fruit and then I want to go to sleep," she climbed onto her bed and propping herself against the head board Bella patted the spot beside her and said "Are you gonna stand there all night or are you gonna sit and eat some of this fruit? If you're going to stay you need to promise that we're not going to discuss this... thing that is happening between us until later. Do you promise?" Bella waited patiently for his grudgingly given promise before offering him the fruit platter. They ate in silence until she yawned, she tried to conceal it but she failed miserably, she felt the platter being removed from her hands. She felt his hands pushing her into a prone position and covering her with the sheet, his whispered "Goodnight" reached her as oblivion took her.

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><p>Edward cuddled her close, he lay staring at her perfectly formed features, and he noticed the bruised smudges beneath her eyes and cursed himself for causing her more grief. Pulling her even closer he placed a kiss on her temple and welcomed the darkness as he fell asleep.<p>

"Daddy, Daddy! Daddy! Come look see what I got." Edward glanced around; slightly confused, and feeling a tugging on his hand he looked down into eyes the exact shade as the ones he saw in the mirror every day. Shock held him motionless as his brain raced to catch up. He looked into the perfect features of the little girl before him, he saw her eyes narrow in irritation that her excitement hadn't made an impact on her father, she grabbed his hands with both of hers and she tugged. "C'mon Daddy, come see what Mummy brunged me." He followed slowly behind the bouncing child. He drank in everything about her; from her perfect head covered in dark curls that hung down her back, to her face which was lit in an excited manner as she smiled and chatted as they walked through the house, all the way down to her small feet as they danced across the floor. A voice he recognised immediately called from nearby "Vanessa where are you?" the dancing child in front of him called back "Over here Mummy. I went to get Daddy so he can see what you brunged me." Edward automatically spoke and startled himself "It's bought me, sweetie 'I went to get Daddy to show him what you bought me'" he felt stunned and totally out of his depth as the child smiled up at him angelically saying "Okay Daddy, come and see what Mummy has bought me." Vanessa continued to tug him in a forward direction, they rounded the corner and Edward stopped at the sight of a very pregnant Bella, smiling in a contented way, holding a box wrapped in cheerful paper. The child beside him deserted him to unwrap the presents covering the table. He stood silently staring down at his daughter and he had been concentrating so hard that he hadn't seen Bella come and stand beside him. He felt her arm go around his waist and he tore his gaze from their gorgeous child to stare at the beautiful woman standing by his side. He bent his head and kissed her and when he pulled away he saw the slightly disappointed look in her eyes, speaking softly he said "Thank you for our daughter." Bella smiled and patting her stomach said "Let's hope you say that again when we've got two kids to chase around. I love you Edward." He sighed as she leant in and pulled his head to kiss him.

Edward vaguely heard the door open the next morning, he opened one eye, saw Bella sleeping peacefully beside him, her head resting against his chest, so he closed his eyes again dismissing the sound of the door as a figment of his imagination, until the sound of a throat being cleared echoed across the room. Opening both eyes he searched for the sound, locating Alice perched on the chair in the corner of Bella's room, her smile wicked as she rose from the chair, placing one hand over her baby bump she pointed the other at the door, Edward could hear her laughter as she spoke "Um you are lucky it's me that come to wake Bella up and not your mother, I think seeing her baby in his briefs and with his step-sister sleeping in his arms might've given her a coronary. All joking aside though, if I hadn't known you'd come back I wouldn't have known to stop her from coming in here. She's worried about Bella and she wanted to be sure she was okay." Edward glared sleepily at his sister-in-law, untangled himself from a sleeping Bella and reached to pull his jeans on, grimacing at the mental image of his mother's reaction he said "Thanks Alice, I suppose I'd better go and try to sort things out with the family." He walked around the edge of the bed, opened the door and gestured for Alice to precede him "Why?" Alice asked genuinely surprised, Edward glanced quickly to check that Bella was still sleeping and said "She's been through enough in the last twenty-four hours, she needs to sleep and to do it undisturbed, plus I want you there when I apologize. That way I don't have to repeat myself later." He ushered her out and down the stairs to the family meeting area, the patio.

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><p>As Edward expected his entire family were there, they all got to their feet and started bombarding him with questions, some he could answer, some he couldn't and some he wouldn't. He tried to answer all the questions as honestly as possible but in the end the questions were being repeated and he held up his hands and waiting for them to fall quiet he said "Okay I'll admit I have a lot to answer for" Alice laughingly asked in a stage whisper "A lot?" Edward ignored her and continued "What you all need to realise, actually only Mum and Charlie don't know this, is that this thing with Bella, whatever it is, is nothing new. From the moment I saw Bella, the very second, I was instantly attracted to her. I tried to ignore it, I dated other women, lots of other women, and Bella had Jacob, who for the record I hated, and she seemed happy. I tried to avoid her and only see her when everyone was around but even then it was hard not to let anyone know how I felt about her, I did that because I didn't want to hurt anyone, Mum or you Charlie, lest of all Bella. I hurt every time we got together as a family and saw how happy she was with that jerk, and I wanted to smash his face in, I could see how happy you all were and I realised that that was the type of love I had for Bella and it looked like that wasn't gonna happen so I threw myself into work and stopped coming to family stuff. When it ended with Jacob I was ecstatic, there is no other way to put it, a part of me saw this as a chance.<p>

When we met up at that bar, I knew why she was there and I wanted to protect her from someone else hurting her and I wanted to make her feel better about herself. She was drunk but not too drunk that I took advantage of her. I offered to drive her home or even here, she didn't want to go to either place, she asked me to stay with her and I couldn't say no. She has successfully avoided me for the last three months and I couldn't take it any longer so I went to the one place I knew that she couldn't avoid me, her shop. I walked in and she was on a step ladder, I spoke to her and she spun around and fell." Edward closed his eyes as he relived the horror of seeing Bella topple off the ladder, wincing as he thought of what could have happened to her and their baby. He opened his eyes and continued, while trying to look at his family but not see them "Angela mentioned that Bella had been having dizzy spells and that she hadn't been eating, so we took her to the hospital and the rest you know, well as much as I know; anything else Bella is gonna have to fill in." He found a vacant seat and sat heavily, he waited for the yelling to start but as he glanced around at the people surrounding him he saw looks of understanding, compassion and only one of disbelief and anger. "Boy are you in serious trouble, how dare you treat Isabella like that, she is a wonderful woman and doesn't deserve to be treated like some common whore. You will get your stuff together and get out of my home until we have had a chance to talk to Isabella, do I make myself clear?" Edward stared at his mother in mute shock as she kicked him out of the house, he knew it didn't really have much punch behind it because technically he didn't even live with them but he did spend more time here than at his own apartment. But he obviously had taken too long to answer because his mother, who had never raised her voice to them their entire lives, yelled "Well? Did I make myself clear? Out, now! Someone will call you later and let you know the decision. Now go!"

Edward stood and glanced around at the stunned members of his family, even Charlie was staring open-mouthed at his mother as though he hadn't seen her before. Unable to say anything he walked towards the rear of the patio, he had his keys, wallet and phone in his pockets and he didn't need to go inside for anything except Bella and he honestly thought that his mother might just break his legs if he tried to get back in the house to see her. He stepped off the patio without looking at, or speaking to, anyone else Edward was stopped as a clear voice sounded behind him "If Edward goes than so do I, if I go than so does our child."

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><p><strong>Hey guys, if you're still with me, thanks. I'm a little surprised that people are reading it [in a good way] :)<strong>

**So... how would you react if you just found out what Charlie and Esme did? It's gonna be hard for them not to be judgemental but I discovered that if your family supports you than it doesn't really matter what the rest of the world says [They're not related in any way except through marriage]**

**Reviews would be awesome**

**Thanks Cherie**


	8. Chapter 8

Bella had stirred as Edward and Alice had left her room, she had rolled over momentarily disorientated, the proceeding days' events crowded in on her and groaning she grabbed a pillow and hid her head under it. Edward's scent lingered on the pillow and the smell had her jumping out of the bed and struggling to get dressed before dragging a brush through her tangled curls before racing out of the room and down to the kitchen. No-one was there but she could hear Esme yelling at Edward, she reached the door to the patio as Esme finished ordering Edward to leave. She opened the door and a voice startled her, it took her a second to realise that the voice was hers. "If Edward goes, than so do I, if I go than so does our child." She focused on Edward as he stopped at the bottom of the patio steps and as she spoke he turned and a huge smile of delight lit his features. Ignoring a protesting whisper from her father and Esme she walked to his side, taking his much larger hand in her only working one they turned and faced their family, Bella glanced up at Edward and felt the reassuring squeeze on her hand. She looked around at the members of their family and said "I don't know what Edward has said to you but I need to clear a few things up, things that should've been said yesterday but I wasn't exactly in a mental space to set them straight. Ed and I have kind of spoken since yesterday but trust me we have a million things left to discuss. The first thing I want to clear up is I only found out I was pregnant yesterday and it came as a total shock. Actually I laughed at the doctor who I'm pretty sure thought I was crazy; as far as they can tell the baby is fine and the fall hasn't done any harm." She turned to Edward and said "Sorry I should've told you first and to be completely honest I wasn't going to tell anyone until I had gotten my head around the fact that I was having a baby but then the decision was removed from me, your mum saw the pictures." He smiled and kissed her forehead, giving her the strength to continue "I love you all, I do, but in the last year I haven't been very nice to know and I didn't want you to have any more reason to be disappointed with me, so I didn't tell you about Jacob and the wedding, or about Edward and myself but I wasn't sure how you'd react to it." Swallowing hard she looked at them all individually and said "If you have any problem with us being together, and I'm saying this only because we have a baby coming together and not because we've decided to be a couple, then I would really like you to say something now and not keep it to yourselves because I don't want any more secrets."

Esme opened her mouth and whispered "What are people going to think? I mean you're practically brother and sister, it's ... I don't know, wrong." But before either Edward or Bella could say anything Emmett spoke "Nobody who matters is going to care about the fact that they are step-siblings and as long as we don't care, and stand beside them, than nothing anyone else thinks or says should affect the outcome. I for one think it's about time that they got together because I knew how Ed felt and I did nothing about it and after seeing them together a couple of months ago, actually the day the wedding was in the paper, I knew that Bella felt something for Ed as well." And turning to Edward and Bella he continued "So I just want you guys to know that you both have my support and even though I can't speak for anyone else, hopefully my support helps." Edward smiled and slapped his brother on the shoulder and said "Thanks Em, it means a lot to me to know that you will support whatever Bella and I decide to do." he turned to his Mum and step-Dad and asked softly "Do you guys think it's wrong, that Bella and I are having a baby together and that we might be considering a relationship?" both Bella and Edward held their breaths as their respective parents thought about their answers and when Charlie spoke Edward held Bella tighter against him, as if to prevent them taking her from him, his protective stance did not going unnoticed by either parent. Charlie cleared his throat and said "I would have preferred this not to have happened" and he pursed his lips and sucked in a breath before continuing "but all I want for any of you kids is that you be happy and if you're happy together than that is all that matters. I cannot speak for your mother but I will support the decisions that you make, no matter what they are, and I am looking forward to meeting the newest addition to our family." Bella smiled up at her Father and moving away from Edward she went and hugged her Dad saying "Thanks Daddy." Turning towards Esme she asked "Esme? I know you were happy about the baby yesterday, before you found out who the father was, can you be happy about it now that you know?"

Everyone held their breath as they waited for Esme to speak, it took her several minutes to gather her thoughts and then she said softly "I think you make a gorgeous couple and nothing anyone might say will change the fact that I love you both and if being together makes you happy than I will be there to support you. However," and she paused, holding up her hand to stop the hug Edward had been about to crush her with, before saying "If you hurt her I will personally make your life a living hell. Do I make myself clear?" Edward chuckled and squeezing his mother into a tight hug he said "I understand completely and I promise that I will not hurt her." Bella's smile stiffened slightly at his words, she still hadn't forgiven him for leaving her, to deal with the fall out the day before, and she wasn't entirely sure that he knew how to commit to a long term relationship. She did know that no matter what happened between them that Edward would be a fantastic Dad and she was praying that if they decided not to be a couple, or even to be a couple and it went wrong, that she'd be able to cope with seeing him constantly for the sake of their child. Her thoughts were interrupted by Sue, their house-keeper, who was trailed by a self-conscious looking Jacob.


	9. Chapter 9

Without thinking about it Bella pulled away from Edward and walked up the steps towards her ex-fiancé, the crowd around her had fallen silent at the arrival of their guest and after hearing about everything he had put Bella through they weren't exactly sending out hospitable vibes and Bella thought he looked even more uncomfortable after seeing the family gathered together. His smile was friendly enough and he came forward and shook hands with her father and kissed Esme's cheek, his gaze searching for Bella and when he saw her walking toward him his smile widened and he said "Hey Bells, it's good to see you. You look great." He bent his head and kissed her cheek and Bella realised that there was no emotion for him or his kisses but when Edward entered a room her heart skipped a beat and she felt light headed and giddy. Frowning slightly she said "What are you doing here Jacob? And where is your lovely wife?" Jacob had the grace to look sheepish and he said "Um, not here, can I please talk to you in private?" Bella heard the quiet snarl come from Edward and she wasn't ready for the confrontation that he so obviously was hoping for so she said "Sure, come into the front parlour, do you want a drink?" Jacob shook his head and walked back towards the door of the house, Bella made a move to follow but when she saw the look on Jacobs' face she turned to see Edward following her, turning back towards Jacob she said "Can you excuse me for a minute, go get comfy and I'll be in shortly." She watched him go and when she was sure he was out of earshot she turned back to Edward and said "Edward what do you think you're doing?"

Edward stared down at her incredulously "What do I think I'm doing? What do you think you're doing? There is no way on this Earth that I'm gonna let you go and talk to that slime ball alone, no way no how." he grit his teeth as she looked at him clearly annoyed "Don't you trust me Ed? I'm not gonna run off with him, he has come here for a reason and I want to know what that reason is. I won't be long, I promise and when I'm finished with him you and I need to talk, okay?" and against his better judgement Edward let Bella walk inside the house alone. As she walked away a bad feeling washed through him, leaving him restless, he paced the patio waiting for her to come back.

Bella walked into the house, and without looking to see if Edward had followed her, she made her way to the front parlour, a room only used when they had guests over, and entered the room to see Jacob pacing the space in front of the liquor cabinet. Subconsciously she was pleased to see how uncomfortable he was at being there but her own curiosity was peaked and she said "So, what can I do for you? I mean the last time we spoke you were getting ready to marry another woman on what was supposed to be our wedding day so what brings you here?" he turned to face her and said "Bells I made a terrible mistake, I realise now that I just got cold feet about our wedding and I know I shouldn't have married Jessica, it's you I love. Can you ever forgive me?" Bells felt stunned and she didn't move even when he came to a stop in front of her and pulled her into his arms, all she could think was 'how could you have cold feet about one wedding and then have another?' it didn't make any sense to her but his next words distracted her enough from her train of thought "We were so good together, let me prove it." And before Bella knew what was happening he had her pinned against his body and was ravaging her mouth with his, she tasted blood where her lips mashed against her teeth and she started to struggle against him, she could feel the excitement her struggle was causing him and she fought even harder. She heard the crash of Esme's favourite vase as it shattered on the carpet spilling the red roses across the carpet like blood flowing from an open wound. Real panic set in and she wedged her hands in between their bodies and she pushed against him but with her arm in plaster and the fact that he out-weighed her by fourty pounds she knew that she was fighting a losing battle and she cursed the fact that she had told Edward not to come with her. She managed to pull away enough to say "Stop it Jacob" but before she could say anymore his lips had covered hers again. She wriggled her plastered arm free and pulled in back and smacked him in the side of the head with it. It had the desired effect of him releasing her and she backed away from him, wiping her mouth on her arm, before spitting "What the fuck do you think you're doing? You're married for Gods' sake and I'm not interested in having an affair with you actually I'm not interested in you at all anymore." Bella stopped speaking as he laughed at her outraged expression and when he spoke she was shocked into silence "Honey after the way you just kissed me how can you say that you're not interested. We both know how good it can be, so let's stop this pretence and we can start up where we left off."

Bella was gob-smacked how the hell did he think there was any chance that they could continue their relationship after all that had happened and she was about to tell him so, she failed to notice the deranged look in his eyes before she said "There is no way in Hell I want to be with you. I have moved on I'm seeing someone else, please leave." She recoiled as he sprang at her screaming "I don't believe you, you're nothing but a little whore! How dare you treat me this way! No-one can replace me." Bella backed away from him angling her body towards the door and as she reached it Edward came running in. She saw him take in her dishevelled appearance, the blood on her lip and the scared look in her eyes and pulled her to him. Jacob saw the relieved look she gave him and the way Edward held her close and he started screaming "Him? You dirty little slut, here I was having to get sex from another source while we were together because you never seemed interested and now I know why, how long have you been fucking your brother?"

Edward hadn't been able to stand on the patio with the rest of his family and wait for Bella to come back out so he went inside and paced the kitchen waiting for Bella, it wasn't sitting right that he had let her walk away with Jacob. A muffled crash had his ears pricking up, he could feel the anger starting to boil in the pit of his stomach and he knew instinctively that something wasn't right; calling to his brothers he took off through the house. He paused outside of the living room and listened carefully to what was happening within the room. He caught the end of Bella's cry and when Jacob's screamed words rang through the closed door Edward couldn't control himself any longer, flinging the door open he charged into the room. His eyes darted around the room and when they located Bella his fury increased. Her hair was dishevelled and there was a cut on her lip, slowly oozing blood down her chin. Dragging her against his body; he held her tightly, not knowing if it was to keep her there or to stop himself from crossing the room and hurting the monster before them; Jacob's incredulous tone and derisive words had a snarl radiating from his chest. Edward shoved Bella behind him and spoke with a calm he didn't feel "If you sought others that is your problem, not Bella's, and since she has moved on I think it best that you leave and never approach her again."

Jacob growled and suddenly launched himself at Edward. Bella stood in stunned silence as the men before her pummelled at each other. One particularly vicious blow to Edwards' face had Bella stumbling from the room screaming for Emmett and Jasper. They met her at the door, pushing past her without asking exactly what the problem was. A cry from the battle had her running back towards the living room and Edward. She raced without watching exactly where she was going and found herself bouncing off Emmett's back and landing unceremoniously on the floor. Her hair covered her face and filled her open mouth. A gentle hand helped her up but kept her restrained. "Jaz, please, please let me go. I need to go help Edward." It was as she spoke that she realised that the reinforcements she had summoned were not exactly doing as she had hoped. "Why the hell are you both just standing around with your junk in your hands? Go and help you brother." Jasper laughed softly before leading her to the doorway allowing her to see inside, and when she looked she gasped in surprise, Jacob was lying on the floor bloodied and bruised with Edward pinning him to the carpet. Edwards' voice reached her ears, a sound that had her eyes filling with tears of relief that he appeared unharmed "I am not going to warn you again. Leave and never come back, you are nothing but a flea bitten dog and if you come near Bella again I will kill you."

Bella watched as Edward manoeuvred himself off Jacob, who remained prone on the floor, and turned back towards them, the crooked half smile that always managed to melt her heart graced his gorgeous face. It took her a second to realise he was, relatively, unharmed but the second her muddled brain registered it she flew at him. She felt his surprise as her fist pounded against his body and her incoherent words rained against his ears. His large hands curled around her upper arms and pushed her bodily from him. Bella, using every ounce of stubbornness that she had inherited from her father, refused to look him in the eye. Pulling her arms from his grasp she walked away from Edward and crouched down beside Jacob.

The fear within Jacob's eyes had Bella feeling extremely bad over how out of hand things had gotten but she refused to take responsibility for their conversations sudden down-turn. She reached out her hand and, ignoring the snarls from the men behind her, helped Jacob into a sitting position. He allowed her to do that before snatching himself bodily away, growling "Get your hands off me you disgusting bitch, do you seriously think I want a fucking whore like you touching me? I knew when we were together there was something going on between the pair of you." Bella reared back as he pushed his face towards her and she purposely ignored Edwards' quiet "Let me fucking go." Which she assumed was aimed at his brothers who had restrained him the second Bella had crouched beside Jacob. Jacob sneered at Bella and shooting a furious look over her head he said "I can't believe I thought it was something I was doing that made you so unresponsive in bed when all this time you were getting you rocks off with _him_."

Closing her eyes to try and retain some hold on her temper Bella said "Jake as much as this will pain you to hear it, there was nothing going on between Edward and me until what was supposed to be _our_ wedding night. You might remember that day considering it was the day you married your sandwich whore. As for my 'un-responsiveness' that was all you. There are only so many times a girl can fake an orgasm before it gets tiring." An appreciative chuckle from Emmett and a snicker from Jasper boosted her confidence "You have no idea how to please me and let me tell you Edward presses all the right buttons; and if I am being honest your cock is the size of a tic-tac and I need more and Edward has that and extra." She watched Jacob's face go from white to red and then to purple and she knew from previous experience that this normally lead to a massive screaming match, she contemplated moving but she honestly thought that even he was above hitting a woman. How wrong she was; the closed fist that crashed against the side of her face had her head snapping to the side, her ears ringing and a sharp tangy metallic taste filling her mouth. She didn't have to be psychic to know that the men standing behind her wouldn't stand still and watch another hit her, or any woman for that matter. Strong arms closed around her and dragged her out of striking range and in a flurry of movement Jacob was dragged bodily from the room.


	10. Chapter 10

As the door swung closed behind Emmett, Jasper and a struggling Jacob; Bella looked up at Edward through her lashes. She knew he was angry at her for putting herself within arms reach of her furious ex-fiancé but she wanted to make sure that he was only angry about that and not directly at her, that her words hadn't angered him. His fingers gently caressed the spot where Jacob's fist had connected with her face and when she hissed in pain his jaw tightened, if that was at all possible, before shifting closer to her and gently cradling her against his chest. With her ear pressed against his chest she could hear his heart thrumming within its confines and his breathing still raced as though he had just run a marathon but silence still reigned as he lifted her so they sat on the sofa together, before her already taut nerves snapped and she cried "Oh my fucking God Edward, say something." She watched as Edward dragged in several more breaths before saying "Bella if you don't want me going out there and beating that man to death you will sit there and shut the fuck up. All I can see is him punching and…" his voice broke with emotion as he dragged her against his hard body.

Edward swore under his breath; he couldn't get passed what had just happened. That dickhead had just punched Bella, his Bella, the mother of his unborn child and all Edward wanted was to kill someone but he knew that violence never really solved anything. The beating he'd given Jacob Black probably contributed to the punch Bella just received. He tilted her face so her expressive eyes weren't hidden from him and asked "Did he ever… was that the…" puffing a breath out, he stopped himself, collecting his thoughts before saying in a calmer tone "Has he ever hit you before tonight?" and when she looked away from his face he had his answer. He pushed away from her and was on his feet and heading toward the door when she said "Edward, wait, it's not like that. He's pushed me a couple of times and gotten angry enough that he's thrown things at me but he has never punched me. Honestly, please, I wouldn't have stayed if he'd been hitting me."

Bella hadn't ever wanted to discuss what her relationship with Jacob had really been like and if she was honest with herself she didn't really want to think about how long she had put up with the angry outbursts and the threat of violence. She had thought that she was in love with Jacob but now that he was out of her life she knew that he had been a way for her to ignore what she felt for Edward. The second she had dealt with his betrayal of her she had recognised just how bad a relationship she had been in and she knew that if she had've told any of her family what Jacob was really like they would've helped but it's hard to burst someone's idea of a person, especially when that person works so damn hard to make sure that he is charming and likeable in public.

"When we first started dating he was kind and loving and attentive. Anything I wanted wasn't too much to ask, if I wanted to fly to the moon he probably would have found a way to get me there. But suddenly things changed and his temper grew to the point where I had to think and then re-think what I was going to say before I said it just in case I said something to set him off. I remember about six months after we got engaged we were supposed to go out with Esme and Charlie for their anniversary, do you remember? It was dinner and dancing at _Nevermore_, anyway, he had been working late and had taken clothes with him so I had gotten ready at our apartment and he was swinging by to pick me up and when he walked through the door and seen what I was wearing his face contorted and he started screaming at me that I was trying to embarrass him. I had stood there stunned, not really understanding why he was screaming at me. I had worn the dress a few times before and it hadn't bothered him before, nothing was exposed and I wasn't wearing any flashy jewellery or anything. I remember yelling back 'What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?' and he had flipped out. He picked up the crystal vase that sat in the hallway; you remember the one you gave it to me for Christmas" she waited for his nod before she continued "and threw it at me. I managed to duck, it shattered against the wall. I remember standing upright and staring down at the fragmented crystal on the floor, I had enough time to think 'aw shit Edward is gonna be pissed that we broke the vase' before he was standing over me and screaming in my face. His words were cruel but it was the tone and emotion behind it that struck me. I pushed against him and walked away from him and went and got changed and when I came back out he had gotten control over his emotions and was so apologetic that for a second I thought I'd imagined the entire thing."

Edward hadn't said anything while she spoke but his anger had bubbled beneath the surface at the treatment Bella must have suffered and to know that she had only been interested in keeping it from her family and not in protecting herself. He remembered the night and it was etched in his brain because he'd had to fight his attraction toward Bella harder than ever before because of the fragile and stressed look she'd had on her face that night. It may have had something to do with the pale silk pants that hugged her ass and showed off the fact she was wearing French knickers and the dark crimson blouse she had teamed with it that exaggerated her dark hair and alabaster skin. Her gorgeous breast and her fabulous ass flashed before his eyes as she bent over the table to give kisses to the family. He'd spent the entire dinner with an erection so powerful that he was constantly shifting and his mother had remarked that he had ants in his pants. "I remember that night and I remember the way you sat quietly and kind of reserved. I remember thinking that it wasn't usual for you to be so withdrawn and I was worried but I knew if I asked Jacob would offer some snippy retort and the rest of our family wouldn't see it. I hated him and nothing he ever did pleased me but he was nothing but polite to everyone else. Wait, what about the night of your 25th birthday? Did something happen that night?"

He watched Bella swallow before she nodded and said "That night was the first night he had actually touched me in anger. I refused to change out of that scarlet dress Alice and Jasper had brought for me and no matter how much he screamed I refused. In the end I yelled at him that he should just stay home if he wasn't going to allow me to enjoy myself and when I pushed past him to walk out the door he grabbed my shoulders and shoved me against the wall. My head smashed against the wall and I saw stars. I ended up with a concussion, something I didn't know until I seen Alice that night, but the second Jacob seen that he had caused me pain he immediately back-pedalled and tried to get me to accept his apology. I refused and left the house without him. I didn't want anyone knowing exactly what had happened, Alice was the only one that knew and that was only because she busted me popping pain meds before everyone else arrived." Edward pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head saying "I promise that he will never hurt you again. If I had've known that he had hurt you I would have beaten him up even more." He watched as she laughed softly before saying "If I hadn't already moved on from him I probably would've let you beat him up." He bent down and kissed he mouth, moaning slightly as she opened her mouth and welcomed his tongue into her warm recess.

Before the kiss could deepen Emmett and Jasper re-entered and Edward pulled away from Bella and they waited for them to speak. Emmett crossed the floor and crouched down beside them and proceeded to examine the side of Bella's face, his touch was gentle but it still caused her to wince and suck her breath in through her teeth. Edward growled at Emmett "Jesus fucking Christ Em be gentle." Bella gently squeezed his thigh as Emmett said "Relax Ed, geez, I'm checking to see what kind of damage that frigging idiot may have done. I mean we could go to the hospital but I'm pretty sure they'd do the same thing and you can't yell at them." Emmett chuckled softly when Edward swore violently under his breath. Bella withstood the probing fingers and followed Emmett's instructions so he could check her jaw.


	11. Chapter 11

None of them had noticed how much time they had actually been away from the rest of the family on the patio but a commotion from the doorway had those in the room glancing towards the door. Those in the doorway pushed their way into the room and a barrage of noise assaulted their ears. Charlie's voice was the loudest and Bella tried smiling to calm him down but the action only served in pulling her sore muscles and causing her to wince. Esme pushed passed Charlie and poked her finger into Edward's chest "I told you if you hurt her I was going to kick your sorry ass." Bella snickered at the shocked look on Edward's face and when he spoke his voice cracked "Mum, I didn't do this! Jesus, like I would! Fuck!" He stumbled away from Esme, who followed him with a look of thunder, slapping the side of his head and saying "Watch your language." Jasper laughed loudly before stepping in and saving Edward from Esme "Mum, he's telling you the truth. He didn't hit Bella, Jacob did and when Edward tried to help he got an ass-whooping for his troubles." Esme growled delicately before rummaging in her pocket a withdrawing a cell phone. Everyone stood watching her but it wasn't until she spoke that everyone knew what she was doing. "Jenks, I want Jacob Black arrested for assault. Don't tell me it can't be done, I want it done ASAP and without argument." As police chief of Forks Esme had more swing than anyone else in the community and when it came to her family she wasn't ashamed to use it but when she hung the phone up Bella thought it prudent that she point out that Jacob didn't actually live in Forks "Um, Esme, I don't wanna step over the line here but Jacob doesn't live in Forks. Don't get me wrong I'd like to see him arrested but I don't think your guys can do that." Bella shrunk back from the violent gleam that entered Esme's eye and was thankful yet again that she had never actually crossed onto the wrong side of Esme Cullen-Swan. "I know that Bella but I also know that Jenks will now call every one of his contacts in Seattle and something will be done about it. I can't believe this, we thought he was a lovely young man, turns out he's a coward and a woman beater, how could we have gotten him so wrong?"

Edward had never seen his mother so furious and he was glad that, even though she was a police officer and held the law above everything else, he and his brothers had never had cause to have Chief Esme on their asses. He knew that Charlie would calm her down eventually but until she got the results she wanted nothing stopped her. He glanced down and caught Bella trying to hide a yawn and he immediately felt horrible, he had forgotten that not only was she exhausted from a sleepless night but she was also injured and pregnant. Getting up from the sofa he tugged on Bella's hand and without looking at the others in the room he said "I'm gonna get Bella to lie down, she's exhausted from yesterday and after today she needs some sleep." The noise of everyone agreeing then finding something else to do was enough to make him wince. He placed a comforting hand on Bella's back, guiding her from the room and up the stairs to her bedroom. They made it into the sanctuary of her room and he closed the door gently behind them watching her cross the room before dropping onto the bed her eyes closing almost straight away. "Ed I know I said that we needed to talk and I really want to do that but is it at all possible if we do when I wake up? What time is it anyway?" Edward chuckled softly and said "Honey its only 10 o'clock but I think a couple of hours sleep will do you the world of good." Crossing the room he bent over and kissed her forehead, her body stiffened slightly at the contact letting him know that although he had held her while she had been distraught he wasn't close to being forgiven for the way he had treated her. A small sigh escaped his control and he said "Love you Bella, I'll be here when you wake up." Her even breathing was his only response, she was already asleep.

The smell of Edwards' aftershave tickled Bella's senses and her head, not wanting to deal with what had happened earlier, wondered why she could smell it. Mentally shrugging she decided to ignore her senses and go back to sleep, snuggling into her pillow she winced as her forehead dug into something hard. Opening one eye she squinted, trying to figure out what it had been, all her muddled brain could figure out was that whatever it was it was covered in soft green cotton and her sheets were a deep sea blue. As she watched the cotton shifted and the 'cushion' lifted and a sigh sounded in her ear, that sound was all her brain needed to arrange the events of the night before and that morning and she really wished that she was on her own in the bed or better yet alone in her apartment to better get a grip on her emotions and her see-sawing feelings.

Bella gently rolled, trying to 1) not wake Edward and 2) prevent her arm from hurting. She sat up rubbing her uninjured hand over her eyes; a throbbing behind her eyes and the side of her face had her sighing silently before scooting to the edge and standing on her wobbly legs. She turned her head and watched Edward get comfortable in his sleep, she didn't want to wake him but the need to figure out what was going to happen with them now had her fingers itching to shake him awake. The decision to let him sleep overrode her desire to talk and she padded silently to the bathroom, she sloshed some water into a cup and downed some of the pain pills she was told she could have. She turned, flicked the shower faucet on, and stripped out of her clothes before stepping inside the cubicle. She stood beneath the spray and closed her eyes, she wasn't really surprised when a sob chocked its way from her body and she let the tears fall, letting her tears cleanse her soul. She was glad that her sobs were quiet because the release they were giving her wouldn't be the same if someone could hear them, you can't truly cry, openly and without fear when there was someone to hear it. A lot had happened within a relatively short period and she, being extremely good at compartmentalising, had forced the events from her mind but today's visit had brought back into sharp focus the direction her life had taken and without her knowing it. Bella stood under the water for what seemed like forever before she had control over her emotions and she had some semblance of order in her scrambled brain. She switched off the faucet and stepped from the shower, her hand reached for the large bath towel hanging on the back of the door when a soft voice stopped her.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Don't forget I don't own Twilight :) and if you're enjoying the story don't forget to add it to your favourites and feel free to leave reviews, thanks xx**

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><p>Edward had felt her move from the bed and he figured she needed a moment; he had shifted in feigned sleep all the while watching her through a cracked eyelid. His ager at Jacob, which hadn't really died down, flared again as her head turned and he caught sight of the red mark marring her perfect skin. She sighed before walking into the en-suite, he felt himself relax when he heard the shower switch on because that meant she wasn't going to sneak out on him. Edward exited the rumpled bed they had shared and padded bare-foot across the room; he cracked the bathroom door enough to hear if she was ok when he caught the sound of her sob.<p>

His heart broke because he knew that in part those tears were over him as well and he had never wanted to cause her pain, he would do absolutely anything to prevent that and prevent anyone else hurting her. He wanted to be there with her, hold her and wipe her tears away but he also knew (from his less than subtle sisters-in-law) that sometimes crying is a way to heal a hurt that you can't fix any other way. Edward decided to wait for her to get out of the shower before talking to her, figuring that she had already hurt herself when had had last wanted to talk and a shower cubicle was way more dangerous, but he couldn't make himself leave the room. He opened the door and slipped through before making his way silently to the toilet, he lowered the lid and perched there waiting for her to get out of the shower.

She just stood under the spray with her eyes tightly screwed shut, tears cascading from beneath the lids like twin waterfalls, for what seemed like forever and just as Edward was giving up hope that she was ever going to get out she sniffed and flicked the faucets off. He ogled her glorious body as she stepped from the shower and when she reached for the oversized towel his voice surprised him "I think covering up your body would be a crime." He cringed inwardly at the lame line even as it left his mouth, he didn't want it to sound like he was hitting on her; he hadn't even meant to say it. Shaking his head he stood up from the toilet, saying "Forget I said that, in fact forget I even came in here. Im not even sure what made me do it. Sorry." He kept his eyes averted from her splendid form as he crossed the space and opened the door. Her small hand on his stopped him in his tracks, he watched as she stepped in front of him- her nakedness apparently forgotten- a shy smile gracing her delicious mouth as she draped her arms around his shoulders and moving closer; her damp nakedness, smelling like her strawberry body wash, was too much to withstand not touching.

Edward could feel his erection straining against his sweats, it didn't seem to matter how many times they made love his body needed her as much as it did the very first time he had seen her. He wasn't sure if Bella knew exactly how much she meant to him and as much as he wanted to lift her into his arms and bury himself to the hilt within her soft warmth, he wanted to let her know the extent of his feelings. He dragged her closer, kissing her with all of his longing and he felt her respond with just as much passion and it stopped him in his tracks. Pulling his mouth from hers he whispered "Bella we have to talk, we can't keep this up. I want, no need…" whatever it had been that he had needed flew out of his head as she growled in a sexy way and pushed against his chest. She walked him backwards until his calves hit the toilet, he sat abruptly down on the closed lid and watched her naked body undulate in front of him, his Bella was coming toward him in a purely predatory way and for a split second he thought that he was dreaming her. That was until she straddled his lap and ground her perfection against his straining cock, whispering in his ear as she licked the lobe "I don't want to talk right now. I want to forget that anything beyond this room exists, I wanna feel you inside of me, I wanna ride you hard enough to make us both scream; I need you Edward, no talking, no gentleness, nothing but you and me, now!" Her speech drove straight to a dark part of Edward's brain and his lust overrode all of his good intentions, especially when her words had been punctuated with little gasps of pleasure at her writhing on his lap. His mother had raised him to be a gentleman and gentlemen gave ladies what they wanted, right?

He shoved his hands into her glorious hair and dragged her mouth to his, slamming his lips against hers. A whimper reached his ears and for a second he thought he'd been to rough and he hesitated until she ground herself against him and lightly bit his lower lip before running her tongue across its surface. Edward felt every reservation and inhibition he had ever had when it came to Bella drop and he decided to make love to her in the numerous ways he had always dreamed of doing.

Bella had been shocked when she noticed Edward sitting on the closed toilet, watching her as she stepped from the shower but his words had made fingers of lust curl through her stomach and the fact that he was trying to give her space was hotter than anything she had ever experience. She didn't understand it but she knew that she had to have him inside her right then and there. It didn't matter that it was a bathroom, or that it was in their parents' house, or that she had been assaulted hours before. Her body needed him and as she watched him cross the room, giving her the space she'd asked for, she was so dangerously turned on that it shut her brain down.

She watched, as if from outside her body as her arms curled around his shoulders and her fingers played with the hair at his nape. She could see his gorgeous green eyes darkening to almost black as she stepped closer but still he resisted her and for a split second she thought maybe she didn't appeal to him now but as she dropped her eyes she saw the proof of his desire tenting the front of his sweats. 'Screw him!' her brain screamed, making her feet move forward, eliminating those last few centimetres between them. And then he was kissing her, raw passion and desire licked around them like tongues of flame and she thought for a second that she was getting what she wanted. Until he started speaking; his voice, so sexy and rough, trying to get her to stop drove her over the edge. She heard herself growl but didn't care, she was going to get what she wanted and this time she was in charge. She shoved against his chest moving him back in the direction he had came, pushing him back down onto the toilet. She straddled his lap and pressed herself against the hard ridge of his penis but it wasn't enough, she wanted him so badly and nothing was helping. He sat, stunned as she wriggled against him but Bella wasn't going to allow him to just sit there. She knew she had to get his reaction, drive him to the place where she was already, get him to forget gentle and loving, get him to make her scream with release. Forwardness in the bedroom had never been her thing and maybe it was her hormones but she had never felt this turned on by anyone before, it was almost a painful experience; a voice she barely recognised as her own reached her ears and the desire in it drove her over the edge.

As his hands gripped her head and slammed her mouth against his her body sighed in relief until he paused. She realised he was stopping only because her moan had sounded almost painful, grinding her pussy against him she made sure he knew that it was a moan of pleasure not of pain but if she was honest with herself she probably wouldn't have known the difference at that point.

Lifting her ass off his lap she grabbed handfuls of the soft cotton fabric of Edwards' sweats and yanked at them, even without a broken wrist this would have been a gigantic task but with one it was impossible. A small laugh had her eyes snapping up to his face and if it wasn't for the strained lust that coloured his face she would have slapped him but the constrained look had her climbing back onto his lap and purring in his ear "Ed, please, drop 'em; just a little, just enough to free that glorious cock of yours so I can taste it." She had never seen Edward move so fast, it seemed almost super human, one second she was straddling him the next she was slammed against the vanity and he had stepped between her thighs.

Edward could tell how much she wanted him but the second she mentioned wrapping her soft wet mouth around his already throbbing member had his self control snapping. He lifted her in his arms and rammed her against the vanity, loosening the tie on his sweats as he went. Her sigh of pleasure as he stepped between her thighs sent him over the edge; he drove into her without a second thought. He tugged on her hair, dragging her head back, exposing her long pale throat. He pumped his hips while tasting her skin as he kissed his way to her breasts. Taking one erect nipple into his mouth, he sucked greedily on her breast, biting the nipple gently. Her moans had him abandoning the rest of her glorious body and gripping her hips while he thrust violently within her.

Both of their breathing was coming in pants and his name being sobbed through passion was something new for Edward. He always considered himself a generous lover, he always gave as good as he got and he had never once had sex without giving his partner an orgasm but none of them had responded this way to his loving and later he'd think about it. His gaze had lifted to above Bella's head where he could see them in the mirror and something about seeing himself driving into Bella had him even more excited. His eyes lowered to hers and she was watching him with eyes that were almost black with longing. "What were you looking at Edward?" she purred when she caught him looking above her head. He couldn't lie to her, ever, so he said "I was watching us in the mirror."

Bella had never wanted to see herself having sex, she figured it was because the porno movies she'd seen hadn't really made looking at people having sex all that appealing but the second Edward's eyes had focused above her head she had know what he was doing but she found it so sexy that it turned him on. She wanted him to tell her what turned him on and she found herself wondering what his fantasies consisted of and the minute his eyes had looked in the mirror they had darkened and she had wanted nothing more than to see Edward fucking her. She gyrated against him, purring "Oh Edward, hell yes." His confused look turned incredulous when she whispered "I wanna see you making love to me." She felt his cock twitch inside of her as she spoke but he shook his head saying "Nah Bella, not now." Edward had remarkable self control and she really wanted to see him break it. Lifting her upper body closer to him she said "I wanna see you making love to me, I'm asking for you to make love to me so I can see us in the mirror. Please Edward, I wanna see us." And that was all it took, that simple plea, for Edward to lose his self control.

Pulling himself out of her tight pussy was almost torture for him but he couldn't deny that he found it hot that she wanted to watch them making love. He dragged her from the vanity and spun her around so she was facing the mirror. He swallowed deeply before catching her eyes in their reflection. He feathered his fingers across her collar bone and down her arm, following it with soft open mouthed kisses, entwining their left hands bringing them to rest under her beautiful breast; he gently bent her forward, resting her on their arms. His right hand skimmed her outline and ran across her stomach; he felt her muscles jump under his palm but continued his journey south, as his fingers found the moisture at her core he pushed one of his legs between hers, widening the space between them, she gasped in pleasure as his fingers found her clitoris and she shuddered when he gently scraped his fingernail across it. She writhed against him sending him mindless with need. Ignoring the fact that he wanted to go slow and enjoy this he positioned his shaft at her entrance and drove home.

His fingers continued their assault on her clit and the second she felt him drive into her Bella felt her body shatter into a thousand pieces as a climax like she had never know exploded within her. She heard herself scream his name as her pleasure peaked, opening her eyes she watched the mirror as he pounded inside of her. His glorious bronze head was thrown back in rapture, high colour on his sharp cheek bones and a gleam of sweat covering his body. Bella could have found nothing sexier at that particular moment and as he moved within her she could feel the quickening of arousal gathering. It was at that precise moment that she realised just how badly she loved the man making love to her. Edward met her eyes in the mirror and the smile that graced his mouth could only be described as sinful, he dropped his head so his mouth was level with her ear. His tongue flicked out and licked her ear saying "Baby you're so beautiful." Bella laughed silently but felt a thrill going through her at his words. She could still feel him moving gently inside her and she knew that he was waiting for her to recover from her orgasm before continuing. Something devilish snapped in her and, tossing her hair so that it was out of her face and she could turn her head to look at him, she smiled before bracing herself against the vanity and stopping her movements. A gigantic sigh of pleasure escaped her as her resistance made Edwards' thrusts harder. She splayed her legs a little further apart and bent forward a little more, bringing his penis more firmly against her g-spot. Her breathing hitched and in a fit of anger at him not giving her exactly what she wanted, even though she probably didn't know what she wanted at that stage herself, she reached a hand back, grabbed a handful of his hair and tugged. "I want you, hard, fast and no holding back. Do it Edward, make me yours."

The minute the words left her mouth it was like he had been waiting for her permission to let lose and he hadn't even realised it. Gripping her hips with hard hands he pounded into her without thought; it was all he wanted, to lose himself in her giving her exactly what she wanted, mind-numbing, world distancing sex, and he wanted it as well but he didn't just want to enjoy it alone. Finding her moist centre again he rubbed circles over her clit while pumping into her from behind. He heard her breathing accelerate and her moans became more incoherent, he was so close but he didn't want to leave her behind. "Come for me Bella, now! Come now!" and she shattered around him again but this time he couldn't control himself and he felt his orgasm rip through him, leaving him weak kneed and breathless as he rested his head between her shoulder blades. Edward felt Bella's body go limp and for a concerned second he thought she might have passed out but her weak chuckle had him sighing in relief. "What's so funny?" he asked, sweeping her hair out of the way so he could look at her face. "Nothing Ed, honestly I was just thinking if all it took to get you to make love to me was me telling you I wanted it I probably would've done it when we first met."

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><p><strong>How's that for lemons? I hope it was ok.<strong>

**Let me know what you're thinking. **

**I'll upload another chapter soon :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N This chapter has a few flashbacks and hopefully they do what I hoped they would when I wrote them, try and explain the instant attraction these two had for one another and their wish to protect their families from it.**

**If you like this story please leave a review and add it to your favourites xx**

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><p>Edward frowned down at her he said "What do you mean 'when we first met'? you were only eighteen and dating Jacob, you hated me." He watched as her eyes widened and she realised what she had let slip, he felt kind of excited that she had wanted him for that long but a sick feeling was forming in the pit of his stomach. Bella swallowed, moving away from him- effectively separating their bodies, she wouldn't look at him as she put a couple of steps between them. She shook her head and said "Nothing Ed, don't worry about it. Forget I said anything." She flipped him a small smile, not meeting his eyes, before trying to scoot passed him into the shower. Edward felt his hand shoot out to grip her upper arm, startling her into looking into his eyes for the first time since she had spoken and he was surprised to see the panic in the chocolate brown depths. He dropped her arm as if it had burned him, after hearing how Jacob had used his size to over power her it was the last thing he wanted to do but he spoke again, softly "No Bella I won't forget about it. I want to know if you meant what you said." A deep feeling of pride started swelling in his heart as, with narrowed her eyes, she nodded her head saying "Yeah I meant it. I thought you were sexy and I wanted to throw myself on top of you. I realised pretty quickly that you didn't feel the same way and I threw myself into my relationship with Jacob." The feeling of pride deflated so quickly it was almost painful and Edward felt the air in his lungs leave and when he spoke his voice sounded weak "What do you mean I 'didn't feel the same way'? How could you know that?"<p>

Bella screwed her eyes shut and swore under her breath, when would she learn not to let her verbal guard down around this man? He picked up on everything, though in all fairness if she had've thought about it she wouldn't have said anything. Looking anywhere but at him she said "Don't you remember the first thing you ever said to me?"

A deep sigh exited his lungs and Edward felt his brain flickered back to the day he'd met Bella.

_Edward Flashback_

The second his mother had said that she was dating again Edward was happy for her, it was nice to see her happy. But when she asked them to meet Charlie and his daughter Isabella, Edward had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach that something was going to go badly. And in a way he'd been right. The second they got out of Emmett and Rose's SUV (everyone had been invited for lunch and their car had enough seats to accommodate everyone, especially since their first baby was due at any time) and Charlie had raced from his house and swung his mother into his arms Edward knew that his mother had found her soul mate. Edward was happy about that but his happiness quickly turned when Charlie called over his shoulder "Bells, Jacob, our guests have arrived."

She was only tiny, a tonne of dark brown hair hung in curly waves down her back and her porcelain skin shone in the weak light from the sun. She smiled as she took in their group and he felt desire and something else kick deep in his gut and he wanted nothing better than to rip her away from the slimy tool beside her. Her mouth opened and the sound of angels floated to his ears. "He guys pleased to meet you." She shook everyone's hand and the instant her palm touched his, a sharp electric shock ran through his body and he watched as her eyes widen and her pupils darkened. It had bee the beginning of the end for Edward he wanted her and he knew that he couldn't have her. He saw the narrowing of her boyfriend's eyes and quickly dropped her hand saying "Hey Bella. So you're what fourteen, wow, you'd better watch out Charlie when she grows up you'll have trouble on your hands." A hurt look flickered across her face but it was chased quickly by anger "I'm eighteen, thank you." But his phone had started ringing and he answered it like a dying man would cling to a life preserver, holding up his hand he effectively cut her off. He felt really bad but he needed his composure and she'd rattled it.

_Present Day_

He closed his eyes and sighed again. He needed to explain that it hadn't been her, it was him and that no matter how he'd tried he couldn't change the first day they met. "Bells, honey, I need to explain about that day." She shook her head and then continued "What about my dad's sixtieth birthday, about three weeks after they got together and like a week after we first met." She paused and waited for him to acknowledge the date. His eyes shuttered and his whole body went rigid but he nodded and she continued "I had stayed here for the weekend before heading to college. I had been swimming in the pool and was towelling myself dry. I wasn't watching where I was going but you know how clumsy I am anyway so it probably would've happened even if I'd been watching, anyway, I ran into you in the door of the pool house. Almost knocked you down, you were pissed off that I'd wet your suit. You were with that blonde, um, Tanya and you were going into the pool house to, you know, anyway I felt so stupid and you said to me 'Watch it Kiddo, wouldn't do for you to kill yourself before you're an adult.' You didn't even blink an eye when that witch looked be up and down and said 'I don't know what all the fuss is about she isn't even pretty.' I think she may have said it in a loud whisper but because we were all standing there…." Edward raised a hand and she fell silent, the look on his face had her looking away from his face and searching for something else to watch.

Once again Edward was assaulted with images of his horrible behaviour.

_Edward Flash Back_

The phone ringing on his desk had him swearing loudly, he was on his way to meet his friends Kate and Garret for tea, when the bloody thing had started trilling. Reefing the receiver from the cradle he barked "What?" down the line while checking his watch to see how late he was actually going to be. The feminine voice on the other end said "A fine way to say hello to your mother Edward." Making him sigh with frustration, he loved his mother but she tended to ramble over the telephone and he really needed to be gone. "Sorry mum, it's been a hard day. What can I do for you?" His mother giggled, an honest to god giggle, before saying "It's Charlie's sixtieth birthday this Saturday and we have all been invited. I know you're not busy and I want you to come. Emmett and Rose will be there, they're bringing Leah." The proud joy in his mother's voice at the sound of her first grandchild's name had Edward grinning. His niece was the cutest thing he had ever seen and the second he had set eyes on her she had had him wrapped around her little finger. He really didn't want to spend anytime with Charlie or his daughter Isabella, and just thinking her name had him so hard he didn't think he'd walk properly again, but his mother was in love and who was he to tell her no. "Sure thing mum, I'll be there. Do you know what I should get him?" His own father had died when he was ten, in a car crash, so presents for sixty year old men wasn't something he was used to buying. Actually if truth was told he didn't buy gifts for any body, his put upon personal assistant did that. "Oh thank you so much Edward, I was worried for a minute there that you boys wouldn't accept him and Isabella as openly as you have and as for a present, um, he really likes model cars, any model cars but especially old ones." Edward nodded and grabbing his phone sent his PA a quick message with a promise of a bonus if she could organise something for him. After a few minutes he rushed his mother of the phone then ran from his office.

Tea with Kate and Garret always proved a highlight for Edward, especially since they had all known one another for the majority of their lives. So when he texted Garret that he was still coming but running late he knew they wouldn't need any explanation, when his phone buzzed he grabbed it and was surprised to see that Garret had actually texted back

_G- k no probs, kt is bringing Tanya. FB friend. Wants u 2 hook up _

Edward groaned he was sick of Kate and her set-ups but with the party looming this weekend and the thought of spending all that time with Bella and having no shield was torturous. He figured he would see this girl for a week, two tops, then call it off when there were no more 'family' gatherings.

When he had gotten to the restaurant and laid eyes on Tanya he knew it would be nothing and he sent Kate the look they had set as their failed date look. She smiled widely but nodded her head slightly before making the introductions. The night week really well and he knew they would be friends as long as he was up front with her. When they were leaving Tanya said to him "Look I know we've only just met, and don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not really romantically into you. You are gorgeous, and I have a feeling that you know that, and if given the chance I'd jump you so quick you wouldn't know what happened to you." A hearty chuckle escaped him but he nodded as she continued "but to tell you the honest truth I'm really not ready. Bad break-up and all that jazz." Edward had slung an arm around her shoulders and said "I know what you mean, not the break-up thing but the 'wrong time' thing." As his head filled with thoughts of Isabella he had a light bulb moment. "Tanya what are you doing this Saturday night?" A suspicious look entered her eyes and she said "Nothing Edward, why?" He knew it was a bad idea but he needed a shield "I have this family thing for my mum's new boyfriend and he has this daughter and she's hot but I need to avoid her if my mum's gonna be happy, you know?" and Tanya smiled sadly and said "and you want me to be your 'girlfriend' for the night to stop you dragging this daughter into a spare room and screwing her brains out." Edward laughed soberly but nodded "Yep, pretty much." Tanya smiled and said "I will be the most awesomest beard ever."

So that was how Tanya had come to be standing beside him as Isabella crashed into him. His arms had shot out to stop her toppling over and the second his hands had come into contact with the bare wet skin of the woman who had starred in his fantasies gave him an instant hard on. Resorting back to his main defence he focused on her age "Watch it Kiddo, wouldn't do for you to kill yourself before you're an adult" the hurt look that had flashed across her face had him feeling so low that he almost dragged her into his arms to make her feel better but he knew that being mean to her was probably the best thing for her. Tanya drew in a sharp breath before saying "'I don't know what all the fuss is about she isn't even pretty." Edward forced himself to laugh before saying "For her age she is pretty but nobody is as beautiful as you." to Tanya before dragging her around Isabella and into the pool house. The second he heard Isabella walk away he knocked his head against the door and chanted "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid." Tanya put a hand on his back and whispered "Edward I know you don't want to hear this but she _is_ really young and you're doing the responsible thing." She stood on tip-toes and kissed his jaw, it was a friendly kiss but with all his pent-up emotions over Isabella he forgot his own words and ravished Tanya's mouth. Their tongues duelled as fiercely as their hands ripped at clothing, Edward reached between their bodies and slid a finger into her warmth, she whimpered, biting his ear before murmuring "Now Edward, fuck me now." They had made it to the pool lounger before Edward plunged into her. The sex was fast and furious both of them wishing it was another and hating themselves for their weaknesses. It was the only time they would ever get this close to one another again.

_Present Day_

Edward felt like a heel as he remembered the way he had treated her and grabbing her chin he made her look him in the eye, his voice serious and quiet as he said "Yes Bella I do remember the first time we met and I need to explain why I was an ass on both occasions. I want you to know that the only reason I acted like that was because I wanted to throw you against the nearest surface and screw your brains out. It was a defence mechanism and I feel really bad about it. Please Bella, please believe me."

Bella, waited impatiently while Edward got lost in his head. She wanted to just walk away from him, he was taking too long answering her but the sad look in his eyes had her glued to the spot and when he spoke the self-loathing and the angry hurt in his face had her believing him. "I believe you Edward because I remember how I felt the second I touched your hand."

_Bella Flash Back_

"Really Dad, do I have to be here? I mean I understand you really like Esme but don't you think it's like too early for me to meet her kids? It's not like you're gonna marry her." She watched as a slight pink tinge flushed over Charlie's cheeks and a strange hollow feeling gripped her stomach tight, she swallowed hard before saying "You're not gonna marry her are you?" she kind of regretted her words but her emotions didn't allow for tact at that precise moment. Charlie blustered and fumbled his words "maybe, I mean, it's no, I just, ugh! I really like this woman Bells and for the first time since your mother died I feel alive again. Esme gives me hope in the future and she makes me happy to be in the present. I want to marry her but she thinks it's too early. I want you to meet her boys so that she sees that we all get along and that when she says yes to marrying me we'll make an awesome family." Jacob smiled widely and said "I think that's a great idea sir, that way you can sort out any problems before they become major." Isabella wanted to kick Jacob for agreeing with her dad but seeing the smile on her dad's face she knew he was relieved that his message had reached one of them and if she didn't behave properly that Jacob would be on his side and help talk her around.

Isabella cringed as her father spoke of a woman the way she had heard her girlfriends talk of guys they 'loved'. Sure she had Jacob and things were progressing nicely but hearing her dad talk like that was kinda creepy. On the plus side she was interested in meeting Esme's 'boys', she hadn't really been told anything about them but her dad said they were nice kids, so she figured they were all around her age. Her father's cell rang in that moment, just a quick trill of The Eagles Hotel California, before her father flew into a tizzy, there really wasn't any other way to put it, running around not actually doing anything but freaking out nonetheless, muttering the entire time "Ok, they are almost here. Almost here, ok. Lunch is prepared, there are drinks- all none alcoholic, mind you, and umm I've forgotten something." His panicked look had her taking pity on him, she grabbed his arms, halting his mad pacing and said "Daddy, it's all fine. Everything is organised and everything will go so smoothly that you'll wonder what all the fuss was about." His grateful smile had the knot in her stomach easing slightly but it still didn't go away. "Thanks Bells, I do appreciate your help. Love you kiddo." He kissed her cheek and Isabella felt herself blush, she hated PDA's they always made her uncomfortable. It was something Jacob constantly teased her about, he wanted to hold her hand, wrap an arm around her waist, kiss her cheeks; he had even tried to get her to have sex in public. Actually he tried to get her to sleep with him all the time but she wasn't ready for that big a step, she had just turned eighteen, she was to young.

Her thoughts were stopped by the arrival of a SUV, a very expensive looking SUV but a SUV nonetheless. It's windows were heavily tinted and it had some kind of shiny wheels and she wondered what kind of people paid so much money for a car but then again she had never gotten cars. Her truck was on it's last legs, and it had been for thirty years, but she loved that stupid faded red Chevy and so far her long suffering mechanic, Mike, had been able to fix the things that had gone wrong but he wasn't sure how long that'd last for. Her father forgot them completely and raced from the house and straight to the woman with thick caramel colour hair and swept her into his arms, hugging her close and kissing her cheek. He set her on her feet and called back over his shoulder "Bells, Jacob our guests have arrived." He dragged in a deep breath, felt her hand being grabbed, and walked out the front door. The sight before her had Isabella staring, she had been expecting boys but before her were three of the most gorgeous men she had even seen and two stunningly pretty blondes. She felt her mouth drop and the grip on her hand tighten. The eldest was really tall and muscular, built like a body builder, with short dark hair the woman next to him was model material. Naturally blonde hair curled its way over her shoulders, her ice-blue eyes crinkled in laughter and a mound of baby pushed out the front of her dress. The man next to her was dirty blonde, his eyes were a reassuring hazel colour, he was also tall and muscular but nothing like his elder brother and he had a friendly smile on his face. The willowy red-head next to him had the clear skin and green eyes of natural red-heads and she was also smiling. Isabella felt her confidence and her ego dwindling as she stood there letting her eyes roam from one gorgeous person to the next and when her eyes fell on the tousled bronze head of the youngest brother, she felt her breath hitch. His broad shoulders and narrow waist held nothing of the muscles that his brothers flaunted but she could tell that his body was hard with muscles just by looking at him. He was stunningly perfect and she felt unfamiliar heat pool in her stomach. Her palms started sweating and her heart sped up its beats.

She kept the smile on her face and hoped that the effort to keep it there wasn't showing. She walked closer to the assembled beauties saying "Hey guys pleased to meet you." She shook all their hands but the second her palm touched Edwards hand an electric current of desire raced up her arm. She raised her eyes and saw an emotion she couldn't decipher in his green eyes, a tightening on her waist had her dropping his hand and her eyes. Edward cleared his throat and said "Hey Bella. So you're what fourteen, wow, you'd better watch out Charlie when she grows up you'll have trouble on your hands." She felt a flash of hurt but it was chased quickly by anger, anger at being called 'Bella' something she had never been called and anger at him thinking she was so young. She gritted her teeth and said in a surprisingly even voice "I'm eighteen, thank you." But his phone had started ringing he held up his hand cutting her off. He smiled apologetically towards her father and his mother, who she was glad had missed the undercurrent.

_Present Day_

It had been the first time anyone had called her Bella and it had stuck with, not only him, but his family, except when Esme was on her war path then she constantly corrected them. Smiling sadly she dragged her thoughts back to her current problem and wasn't surprised to see him smiling crookedly down at her "What are you smiling at Ed?" he said softly "That was the first day I called you Bella. Do you know why I called you that?" She felt the skin between her eyebrows pucker with confusion over his change in subject, even though she had been thinking about it, but she answered him anyway. "No Edward, I don't know why you called me that. I mean it's not like I don't have nicknames; Dad calls me Bells, and I get Bell and sometimes Izzy but you were the only one to ever call me Bella." He smiled her favourite crooked smile, his slightly crooked incisor flashing in the dim light, reaching out a hand to cup the side of her face softly. He lowered his face so it was level with hers and said "Because in Italian _'Bella'_ means _'Beautiful'_ and even then when I knew I shouldn't I found you irresistible and I wanted to make love to you. You were beautiful to me and if it's at all possible in the intervening eight years you have gotten even more beautiful." Bella felt her cheeks flush and she avoided his eyes, trying to regain some control over her roller-coasting emotions.


	14. Chapter 14

Edward was stunned when a tear splashed onto the hand that held her chin. Panic spread through him as he wondered wildly what it was that he had said to upset her. He figured the best way to know was to ask her. "Bella, Isabella, honey what's the matter?" Her sniff was just about his undoing, he hated to see her upset, point in case their night of love making. He stood floundering in her emotion wake, he didn't understand her sudden tears and he hated that he was the cause even if he didn't understand what it was that he said to make her cry. He pulled her close and whispered "Shhh shhh shhh, it's all gonna be ok Bella. I promise just tell me what it is that made you cry and I'll try and fix it." A sob was his only answer and he was tempted to go and find his mother to get her to help calm her down but then he would have to explain how they got to this point and even he didn't really know. So he just stood there inexpertly holding a sobbing Bella and murmuring inane things softly into the top of her head, it wasn't unusual for him to have a woman in his arms but for that woman to be crying was something he was still new at. He guided her from the en-suite, grabbing her robe off the back of the bathroom door and wrapping it around her, and sat her on the edge of the bed, allowing her to cry out her distress.

Five minutes of crying later and Bella finally raised her head and even with a red nose and a tear-stained face she was the most beautiful woman he knew. The second she lifted her head from his now wet chest he leant away from her and snagged the box of tissues from the bedside table. She smiled wetly, dragging several from the box and blowing her nose, and then said "I'm so sorry Edward. I don't know what's going on with me, I think it might be hormones but since I've never been pregnant I don't know." He smiled weakly back at her, because he really didn't want her to know how freaked out he actually was about the sudden shift in moods and the copious amount of tears, and said "Bella you don't need to apologise I understand" even though he didn't "and it's kind of my fault too." He saw the spark of humour in her eyes that had been missing since she had been cheated on almost twelve months before; his cock twitched as her mouth curled into a puckish smile and as she placed her palm against her flat stomach. "Yes Edward it is 'kinda' your fault but I'm just as responsible. It's so unreal. In the last 24 hours I've learnt I was pregnant, told our families about our 'relationship', been accosted by my ex fiancé and had the best sex I've ever had. My head hasn't caught up with everything that has happened and I'm not sure how I feel about that." Edward felt his eyes widen and his heart start to beat a panicky tattoo inside his chest when she stood up suddenly and started to pace the floor in front of him but soon calmed when she didn't make a move to leave the room. He watched her pace and the urge to speak welled within him "I'm happy about the baby, Bella, I really am and I'm sorry if it has made your life harder than before but I swear I'm gonna be there the entire time."

It was as he spoke the words that Bella knew he meant them with his entire heart, she could see it shining within his eyes and the small smile that graced his mouth without him even realising it. She dropped her good hand to her stomach and rubbed small circles over where their baby was beginning its life. "Edward, I don't want it to sound like I'm not happy about this baby because, even though I only found out about it yesterday and I'd do anything to protect it but…" here she faulted, sighing deeply before continuing "I'm not, I don't want, I can't rush into a relationship. If we're going to try to have any kind of relationship we need to go about it the way we normally would, this was what I wanted to talk about earlier- before everything happened- can you agree to that?" Bella waited with baited breath for Edward's answer and she knew he wasn't going to be happy about what she was saying but she had thought enough about it last night when he had just disappeared for the idea to cement itself within her brain.

"You're pregnant with my baby and you want to take it 'slow'? I think we bypassed slow and jumped straight to super-speed." She could hear the anger resonating in his voice but she stood her ground and said "Yeah I do want to take it slow. Later today I'm going back to my apartment and you can go back to yours and then we'll do this one day at a time." Bella sat across from him in a chair that normally stood empty at the foot of her bed, looking him straight in the eye. Her determination had her voice and gazed steady and she knew by the dejected slump of his shoulders that he recognised her stubborn streak coming to the fore. He screwed his face into a grimace before saying "Fine, fine we'll do this your way but you need to know when I'm in a relationship the woman I'm with rarely, if ever, spends the nights alone. She is normally with me, loving me and letting me love her in return. Can you handle that?" it was her time to gulp as her brain flew to what those nights would involve but she wasn't going to let him get to her. "I can handle it but will you be able to handle it when I'm so big I can't see my toes? How about when my skin is lined with stretchmarks? What about when the baby is born and all my parts are stretched and I can't have sex with you? Is that going to sit well in our 'relationship'?" Her voice rose in anger until she was whisper-shouting at Edward, her body lifted from her chair and her breathing rapidly making her breasts rise and fall against the soft silk of her robe.

Her anger had his blood pumping thickly through his veins and her words had him standing angrily in front of her doing the same whisper-shout that she was doing "Do you think that I'm that pathetically shallow that I'd care about you getting stretchmarks or putting on weight? I don't care if we never have sex again. That is my baby growing inside of you and she will be worth every sacrifice we make. How can you possibly think that the changes your body goes through wouldn't turn me on when I know those changes are going to give me the most wonderful gift. I don't want to hear you speak like that again about yourself, this pregnancy or any other pregnancies we go through because …." His rant was cut short by Bella closing her eyes and holding up a hand and making shushing noises, he stopped and sat back on the bed; waiting for her to work through whatever it was that had doused her anger quicker than water on fire.

As he yelled at her part of her shrank back from the anger that radiated from his every pore but his words had her sitting, dumbfounded, while he continued yelling at her. When her brain finally kicked into gear she held up her hand and shushed him. Her silence seemed to finally register and he sat back on her bed and waited for her to speak but she was too stunned to do it straight away but when she sorted through his words a fire lit the pit of her belly. Standing up from her chair she crossed to his side and stared down into his face, lifting a gentle hand she said "Wait, 'she'? You think the baby's a girl?" the guarded look on his face had her smiling and then saying "and, um, 'pregnancies'? Who said anything about anymore babies? Let's just get through this one first before we make that decision and you 'don't care if we never have sex again' when did that get mentioned?" Bella watched him crease his face into a self-conscious smile and her heart expanded with more feeling than she ever felt possible.

Edward could have cut his tongue out as she repeated his words to him. Sure he meant them but he had a sinking feeling that she wasn't really ready to hear them; so he did what he thought was the next best thing, he hid them and went on the offensive. "Ok, fine I agree to your terms but Bella we exchange keys, just in case something happens, and we talk at least once a day to check in." He could see that his abrupt change in the subject had startled her and the fact that he deliberately ignored her question hurt her but he didn't feel comfortable answering her. It took her barely a second before she straightened her shoulders and looking him squarely in the face, saying "Have it your way Edward, can you please leave. I need to have another shower and get ready to go home. Dad has my spare keys get them off him and I'll talk to you later." Edward made a move to pull her to him but she dodged out of his way and crossed the room to the door, opening it and gesturing for him to leave. He wanted to explain but he didn't know how, he was going to have to have long and detailed conversations with his brothers about how to deal with these types of talks without having his head ripped off, and she wasn't really in the mood to listen anyway. He stopped in the doorway and said "I will get the keys off your dad and I will call you later." Kissing her head he walked out of the room without looking back.


	15. Chapter 15

Bella slammed the door shut and stomped across the room, grabbing her phone off the bedside table and throwing it across the room. Luckily for her she wasn't a good throw and it didn't make it any further than the other side of the bed where it landed with a harmless thump, she screeched "Argh! Bloody idiot." How the hell could he turn a beautiful moment into an argument without even really trying. She knew that part of the argument was her fault but seriously why, when asked up front about his words, didn't he just own up to them and tell her what he meant. Shrugging off the spare robe she left here she padded barefoot across the thick carpet and into the en-suite; she didn't even bother with shutting the door because it didn't seem to keep anyone out anyway. She spared a quick glance at the vanity before standing in the shower cubicle and flicking the water to life. This shower was less tense than her last but she was still just as confused as before.

For the second time in an hour she washed her sore body and contemplated her future and even though she had, some time in the last 24 hours, decided to try and make things work with Edward if that was what he wanted it didn't really help the uneasy feeling in her stomach about how people were going to react. She knew that an unplanned pregnancy was going to be the least of what people spoke about, the thing they would gossip the most about would be the familial connection to their relationship but it wasn't either her or Edward she was most concerned about, it was their child. The baby growing inside of her now was an innocent player in this crazy game and she would die to protect him/her.

Stepping from the shower she towelled herself dry and then padded, naked, into her room and rummaged through the draws until she found a spare pair of jeans and a sweat shirt with the logo of her college on it. Dragging the clothes on she shoved her feet into her ballet flats and grabbed her handbag from the dressing table, hunting down the phone she had thrown across the room. Walking from the room she pulled the door shut but couldn't resist a final glance at the bed they had lain in, that should have been her first sign. Their family were all waiting in the living area, something that rarely happened, and they ambushed her the second she walked down the stairs. She allowed Esme to drag her into the lounge so that Emmett could check out her face and she answered, graciously, the questions they had been patiently waiting to ask her. Those that Emmett and Jasper hadn't been able to answer from what they had overheard. Her father was understandably pissed that she had put herself in the position for Jacob to hit her but she hugged him and said "I wont be making that mistake again. I'll take all the precautions to stop him being able to come near me." Esme smiled, and the smile had Bella seeing for the first time the strong police woman beneath her sweet exterior, and said to her "He now has an AVO out against him and you should tell you doorman not to let him or his new wife within the building." Bella nodded and said "Thanks Esme, I appreciate that and I will definitely take those steps." Turning to Emmett and Jasper she drew the each into a huge hug and said "Thanks again for today, I, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't have been here to help." Jasper, being as shy as he was, smiled embarrassedly and muttered "Don't mention it Bells." And Emmett being as openly honest as he was said "Jesus Bells, I'm kinda pissed that we didn't get to beat his ass the way Edward did. You know we're family and anyone that takes a swing at you takes one at us, ain't nothing to it." Bella heard herself laugh and said "Thanks Emmett and I'm really glad now that Rose insists on the girls not listening to the way you speak, for a doctor you have appalling English." Rose hugged her with one arm and said "Now you know what I have to deal with but he's getting better now that the kids throw abbreviated words at him and he doesn't know what they mean." Laughing Bella said "Ok I'm going back to my place now because I've got sooooo much work to do it isn't funny." Kissing everyone goodbye she hugged her Dad and Esme tight and whispered "I'll ring you when I get home to let you know I'm ok and I'll talk to you tomorrow." The protested against her leaving and offered persuasive arguments about why she should stay but she finally extricated herself from the house and climbing into her car she cranked the stereo and drove away, beeping the horn in final farewell.

When she finally got back to her apartment she was thankful that the day was reaching it's end because she was tired and really sore. All she wanted was to take some pain killers, pee, have something to eat, have another shower and crawl into bed. Her plans were thrown into chaos the second she parked her car. She had barely shut the engine off before her car door was reefed angrily open and she was being dragged from the car. She focused on the angry woman before her and wasn't really shocked to see Jessica Black standing with handfuls of Bella's shirt clutched in her well-manicured hands. Bella was so tired that she didn't even have the energy to want to free herself from the crazy woman's hold, she just stood there and let Jessica get her crazy out. Jessica's voice rang out through the concrete car park "You filthy whore you stay away from my husband, how dare you try to seduce him away from me." Bella felt a laugh starting to bubble up inside her chest but tried desperately to keep it inside just in case it drove the woman over the edge. "You have nothing he wants or needs anymore and if you continue trying to get to him I will put you up on a stalking charge and you will wish you had never met him by the time I'm finished with you." Jessica pushed her small face right into Bella's and her curly mane of hair clouded around them and Bella swore she could see each hair twitching with righteous anger but she had had enough of people yelling at her and telling her what it is that she should or shouldn't be doing. Lifting her arms and breaking the hold that Jessica had on her Bella shoved against her chest and said "Listen here you crazy cow and listen good because if I see you around here again I will kick your skanky ass from here to next Tuesday." She saw Jessica's eyes widen and when she was assured of her full attention she continued "I don't want anything you have, in fact I realise now that I never wanted anything you have. I don't love Jacob, I don't need nor do I want Jacob and I definitely don't need the drama that comes with you and your husband." A weird feeling in the pit of her stomach had Bella moving away from Jessica and saying "Leave now and don't come back. I will be leaving instructions that if you or Jacob turn up here again that the police are to be called. Have a nice life." She walked away from a dumbfounded Jessica, popped her boot and grabbed her briefcase from within. She wanted to go back and slap the smug bitch who had just accosted her but she didn't really want to get into a fight over someone who meant nothing to her, so she strode away in a fast walk bypassing the lift and almost running up the fire stairs.

She reached the lobby of her building and was greeted by Eric her doorman. "Jeez Miss Izzy what happened to your face? You look like you've gone twelve rounds with Mike Tyson." She tried to smile but failed, so she waved it off and asked how his wife Leah was doing, they had had a baby boy about six weeks before and Eric was so proud of his 'lil man'. Eric's smile grew and he said "Oh Miss Izzy he is doing fantastic and he is starting to smile. He is such a clever little boy, here I've got some more photos on my phone." Bella laughed and held her hand out for the phone so she could see the beautiful baby boy. It was the first baby she had seen since she had found out she was pregnant and she found herself searching the chubby dark-haired baby for any semblance of his father and she was pleased when she saw it in how his eyes crinkles as he smiled and the way his ears sat against his little head. "Oh Eric he is beautiful, look at that smile. You'll have to get Leah to bring him in one day for me to meet. Um, before I forget I need to let you know that Jacob Black is no longer allowed within the building and if he comes than whoever is on duty is to call the police straight away." Eric's eyes narrowed and he snarled "Was he the one that did this to your face?" Bella knew she had to explain what was going on and she trusted Eric to keep it to himself; so she told him that yes Jacob had hit her but not why, she told him about the AVO, but not about the pregnancy or Edward and then she said "I'm sorry to dump this on you Eric, and I hope your day gets better. I'm gonna head up now and rest." She smiled tiredly than climbed in the elevator and hit the button for her floor.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N Hey guys thanks for sticking with me and I hope you're still enjoying Worthy of Bella. Don't forget that I don't own any of the Twilight characters I am just borrowing them :) Don't forget to leave reviews thanks**

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><p>When the doors opened to her floor Bella was so thrilled to see her apartment door she almost wept. She let herself in, turned around locked and latched the door, dropped her keys on the table beside the door and pressed play on the answering machine that sat on the same table. She frowned slightly when she heard Angela's voice, then her friend Embry's voice, than Angela's again (this time she sounded more than frustrated), than the gynaecologist that the hospital had recommended, than Angela again ("Damn it Bells, you better ring me back or I'm going to the police and reporting you as kidnapped.") which had Bella laughing because they had only spoken at the hospital less than 36 hours before and Ang knew that if something bad was happening Bella would ring her from her cell phone. It was that thought that had Bella reaching into her bag for her cell phone to check if she had missed calls. It was then that she realised that it had died, and she vaguely recalled that she had been low on battery on the way to work the day before. Swearing under her breath she placed her phone on the charger and picked up the home phone. She dialled Angela's number and waited for her to answer.<p>

"Hello?" a childish voice called down the line when it was answered, and Bella smiled "Hey Sammy, it's Bells, is your sister there?" She heard Sam laugh before the phone dropped and she screamed "Angie, it's Bells, she wants to talk to you." Bella could hear Angela running for the phone and Angela saying "Samantha, you know better than to answer the phone. Go into the kitchen I made cookies." Sam whooping down the hall to Angela's kitchen was so loud it rang in Bella's ears. She heard the phone being picked up and Angela's blown out breath before her voice came through the ear piece "Isabella Marie Swan you better have a fucking good explanation as to why you haven't rung me back." Bella laughed through her nose and said "Oh Angela if only you knew the kind of time I've been having since you seen me at work the other day." Her tone must have alerted Angela to the trauma she had been through because she said "Ok Bella this is what we're gonna do, I've gotta drop Sammy off at mum's in like thirty minutes and I will be on your door step in forty-five. I am bringing chocolate cannolis and we can talk then, ok?" Bella nodded her head and said "Yeah Ang that sounds fine, see you soon."

An hour later her buzzer sounded and she buzzed them in. She stood by her door and waited for the knock and when it came she flung the door open and came face to chest with Edward, he stepped inside her apartment but he wasn't alone. Angela stood behind him, her mouth hanging open as he just waltzed into her home like he owned it but the second her eyes found Bella's face she swore and swung her handbag at his head. It connected with a solid thunk and dropped Edward to his knees. She then started punching him anywhere she could reach, the entire time calling him every name she could think of. Bella finally snapped out of her stupor and, wrapping her arms around Angela, stopped her from hitting Edward. The whole time saying "He didn't do this Ang, come on stop." Her words seemed to penetrate Angela's anger and her best friend stopped trying to escape her hold. "If he didn't do this than who did?" asked Angela, Bella sighed and said "I'll tell you everything Ang I promise but can you give me a second with Edward, there is something I've got to tell him." Ange nodded and walked past them to get to the kitchen, she was ten steps away when she turned her head back to them and said "Sorry Edward, I overreacted but I love her like a sister and I know she'd do the same thing for me."

Edward watched Bella's friend turn away from them again and continue her way to the kitchen, he'd admired her spunk before (not to mention she had these long legs that were gorgeous) but now all he saw was her loyalty to Bella and he instantly forgot the fact that she had beaten him up with a handbag, she had split his lip and there was a cut above his eyebrow that hadn't been there before but he couldn't see past her desire to protect her friend. He felt Bella tugging his arm to help him into an upright position and he knew that she wouldn't be able to do it without help, he outweighed her and he was almost six inches taller than her. He got to his feet and she ushered him into her bedroom and he almost forgot the reason he was there in the first place when he got his first look at Bella's bedroom. Two of the walls were painted blood red, the other painted black, a black- wood king sized bed took up most of the room. The cover on the bed was a shimmery silver colour and the light coming through the window made the colour jump and leap as though alive. The fourth wall was all mirrors, hiding what Edward assumed was Bella's wardrobe, making him think about stripping her naked and making love to her while the watched themselves but when she opened the mirror nearest them he was surprised to see the entrance to a balcony. He followed Bella out onto the balcony and took a seat in one of the wrought iron chairs that made up her patio setting. He frowned when she didn't sit but just watched her as she paced in front of him. Her voice wavered when she finally decided to speak "When I got home this morning Jessica was waiting for me." He felt a molten rage fill him at the idea of her having to deal with that on her own and he opened his mouth to say so when she continued "Not that it's really a problem because Eric now knows that they aren't allowed within the building because your wonderful mother got the fastest AVO in history out against them. But what I brought you out here for, away from Ang, is I wanted to do this." He felt his head rock back as her mouth swooped and covered his, he couldn't bring himself to complain about his split lip or the fact that her delicious assault had split it more and made it bleed again, all he could manage to do was wrap his arms around her waist and drag her closer to his willing body.

If anyone had've asked Bella why she started kissing Edward instead of yelling at him for acting like a douche she wouldn't have been able to tell them. All she knew was that they had been apart for a few hours and her body craved his like fire craved oxygen. She felt him pull her closer and the part of her brain that screamed for the release he could bring her was cheering loudly but the responsible part of her brain was yelling just as loudly for her to stop this before Angela came looking for them and that part won out. She pulled away, panting slightly, resting her forehead against his, their breath mingling together she drew in a calming breath and said "Ed, I know I kind of agreed to spend the nights with you but can we please skip tonight? I really just want to explain this crazy shit to Angela, soak in the tub, take some pain killers and sleep for- I don't know the next six months- on my own. Is that ok?" She watched as he stood up, the night shining in his bronze locks and making her fingers itch to touch them, his green eyes were guarded but when he spoke there was a tinge of humour in his voice. "I didn't come over now to spend the night, Bella, I came to check you were ok and to drop my spare keys off. I know what I said but it didn't mean right this second when I know how exhausted you really are." He stepped towards her and her heart started beating double-time and her she could feel herself getting excited, she was disappointed when all he did was kiss the top of her head. He dug into his pocket and withdrew a small credit card and placed it in her hand. She opened her mouth to tell him she didn't need his money when he laughingly said "It's my spare key Isabella. I'm at work tomorrow, and I know you are too but only if you're up to it, but if you need anything don't hesitate to call me. See ya Bella." He stared longingly at her before walking back through her bedroom and, calling a goodbye to Angela, out of her house.

Bella followed Edward back through the doors of the patio, stopping to relock the doors, and she came into the living room as the front door clicked shut. She shook her head and looked at Ang, who was doing the same thing she had been doing- watching Edward. Bella felt a curl of jealousy at the obviously lusty look on Angela's face but she knew that she honestly couldn't blame Ang for reacting to Edward because he was so damn gorgeous. Sitting down on the sofa across from Angela, Bella sighed as her tired body finally got to relax. Angela handed her a mug of coffee, she took it and had taken one delicious sip before she realised she wasn't supposed to be drinking coffee and put it down. Angela raised one eyebrow, put her own cup down, and said "What the fuck Bells?" Bella chuckled dryly and said "Are you comfy? Cause this is a long story and it may take a while." Ang just rolled her eyes, indicating that she should continue, but Bella was suddenly at a loss as to where she should start, so she said

"There once was a young girl who had two loving parents, then one day a cruel accident took away the little girls Mother. The little girl and her Father managed and they loved each other dearly. The girl grew and when she was eighteen she found a boy who seemed to love her the way her father had loved her mother and she was so proud of herself. Then one day her father came to her and said 'I have found someone to love and she is special' the girl was worried that her father was forgetting her mother but she knew that he deserved to have happiness and love in his life. The girl said, even if she didn't really mean it, 'Daddy that's wonderful' the father beamed at her and then said 'She has three sons and they want to meet you' the girl nodded and the meeting was arranged.

Now when they arrived the girl realised that the lady's sons were quite a bit older than her and that two of those sons were married but it didn't matter because they all treated her nicely. The third son was different, the way he looked at the girl made the girls' stomach flop and the second she touched his hand she felt a deep attraction. She knew it was wrong but she couldn't help it. The third son didn't seem to notice the attraction and went about treating her like an annoying little sister. This hurt the girl but she decided to ignore it and throw herself into her relationship.

When the girl was nineteen her father and the woman he had fallen in love with got married and the girl, who still felt a pull of attraction to the third son, knew there was no chance of the third son returning the desire she felt. At twenty the girl and her friend decided to open a boutique and they were successful which gave the girl the means to move away from home and the excuses to avoid family gatherings. Her relationship was blossoming and she felt lucky to have her boyfriend, even if the desire wasn't there. But as their relationship progressed the boy became unreasonable and sometimes violent. He never 'hit' the girl though he pushed her and threw things at her. The girl never told anyone because she didn't want to make a big deal out of something she was sure would stop.

The next few years passed and the boyfriend proposed and the girl accepted. They were planning the wedding and everything seemed to be going exceptionally well until the girl walked in on her fiancé having sex with his lunch delivery girl. The girls' world seemed to shatter and fall to pieces. The girls' best friend and one of her sister-in-laws was there to help her as she tried to get her life back together and she managed it easier than she thought she would but about six months after breaking the engagement the boy went to the girl and told her that he was marrying the lunch girl on the day that was supposed to be their wedding date. The girl was confronted by another wall of hurt and pain but her best friend decided it would be a good time to blow off some of that sadness by going out for a few drinks and some dancing. The girl liked that idea but the alcohol combined with her sadness made her even more sad.

All of a sudden the third son was at the bar offering too buy them a drink, the girl refused because she didn't wan to spend time with the third son when she was upset. But the friend said yes so drinks were brought. The girl got steadily more drunk and when the friend decided to go home, the girl- instead of doing the right thing and leaving too- stayed and continued to drink and dance with the third son. This was fine until the girl wanted to go home, she didn't want to go to her apartment because she would've been alone and she didn't want to go to her father's home because there was too much love there. The third son offered to take her anywhere she wanted to go and the girl suggested a motel.

They made love again and again that night and in the morning the girl left and decided to never mention it again but fate had other ideas. The girl was sick and her friend was concerned but when the third son turned up at their boutique he startled the girl and she fell and broke her wrist. The third son and the friend took the girl to the hospital where they told her she was pregnant…" Angela, who had been staring at her the entire time she had been speaking and hadn't made a sound, squealed and made to get off the lounge. Bella shushed her and motioned for her to sit down so she could finish the story.

"The girl was stunned and really didn't know what to do, she obviously had to tell the third son because he had a right to know but that in itself opened up way to many questions that the girl didn't want to answer. How was she going to tell her father or the rest of the family that they had not only slept together but they were expecting a baby. The decision was taken out of the girls hand when the ultrasound pictures were found by her step-mother and the third son thought she had been keeping it from him and yelled at her and when his mother came to the girls defence he blurted out everything the girl had been keeping within her, than he took off leaving the girl to deal with the fall out but the girl couldn't so she went and hid in her room. The third son came back in the dark of night and crept into the girls' bedroom. He wanted to talk and they did, somewhat, but they had far to go. The next morning the third son faced their family while the girl slept, the third sons' mother was furious with him and was preparing to kick him out until the girl stopped her and said 'if he goes, I go which means our baby goes'. The mother grudgingly accepted the outcome but before any further discussion could be had the girls' ex fiancé came through the door. He said he wanted to talk, the girl was silly enough to say it was ok but the third son didn't like it and was lurking close by. The ex fiancé tried to force his kisses on the girl and the third son came in and rescued her from the ex. The ex of course lost his temper and the third son beat the crap out of him. The girl went to check the ex was ok, not because she cared for him but because she wanted to make sure he wouldn't press charges. The ex said some really nasty things and the girl, who's temper was frayed enough, snapped and said nasty things back. The ex really didn't appreciate it and punched the girl in the face, this didn't sit well with any of the sons and the second he did that the first and second son dragged his ass out of the house while the third son cared for the girl.

The whole family was in an uproar and the girl was so emotionally drained she excused herself and went to her room, the third son followed and they crawled into bed together and slept." Bella stopped talking and looked at Angela, it wasn't until Ang had pulled her into a hug that Bella realised she was crying, and not just a little, she was sobbing, deep body shaking sobs and she couldn't control them. She felt herself stepping closer to the edge of hysteria and she knew she couldn't let herself go, so with super-human effort she dragged deep breaths into her screaming lungs and willed herself to calm down. It took a while but by the time she had the crying jag under control she felt a lot better. Angela, who still hadn't said a word, moved back so she could see Bella's face, she gingerly touched the steadily darkening bruise on Bella's jaw and said "I know this isn't really the time but I need you to know something." Bella frowned, drawing her body back from Angela and preparing herself for an assault, she clenched her jaw but the pain that flared in her head had her unclenching it quickly, she felt her eyes narrow as she said "What is it that you need to tell me?" Her heart felt as though it had stopped beating and there was a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach as Angela said "I really hated Jacob. I know I pretended like I did but I never once thought he was good enough for you but you were so happy that I couldn't bring myself to say anything and I didn't want to loose a friend over such a petty person." Bella smiled tiredly and said "Looks like there were a lot of people who had the same opinion of Jacob, Edward hated him too. I think that may have something to do with the fact that Jacob had me and Edward didn't." Angela laughed and said "But Edward, phew, now that man is gorgeous Bells, seriously I don't know how you controlled yourself since you obviously had feelings for him and when you feel up to it I want every gritty detail, but until then I can wait. Remember all those times we talked about Edward and how handsome he was and how many girlfriends he's had. Remember the night of our combined 21st? You told me to find Edward and demand a birthday kiss. I figured then that a part of you wanted him; I of course did as you told me and he shot me down. Do you remember the time he…" by the time they were through remembering all the times they had tried to sabotage Edward's relationships Angela and Bella were laughing so hard that they could barely breath. Angela got control over herself quicker and putting her hand over Bella's still flat stomach she said, her voice full of awe, "You're gonna have a baby Bella. That is the most exciting thing ever. Woohoo I'm gonna be an auntie!" Bella watched as her friend fist pumped the air and did really bad eighties dancing. "and the other good thing is that it is Edwards' baby and not that douche's baby. Oh my god when are you due? When can we go baby shopping? We are gonna have to start a list of baby-shower games and, oh my goodness there is so much to do." Bella must have had a strange look on her face because Angela's face fell and she said "Oh sorry I'm getting to carried away and sticking my nose in. you probably want to do all that with Edward since, you know, he is the father."

Bella just laughed and said "Why the drop in enthusiasm? I have no idea what Edward wants and if he wants to be there for those things than he can just get used to the fact that you're there as well. As for when this little jelly bean is due, um I'm fourteen weeks so I'm guessing around May. We're gonna have to hire someone so we can train them up in the boutique because I can see Edward being way over the top protective about this pregnancy and I think it will stop some arguments if I can say 'We are training someone'." Angela nodded and laughed saying "Yeah if the other day was anything to go by he is gonna want to wrap you in cotton wool and keep you tucked in a corner somewhere." Bella laughed at her friend but she was concerned that Angela might be right in her assessment of Edward and his protectiveness. The rest of the afternoon passed in comfortable companionship with barely a seconds silence and it helped Bella clear out some unhappy thoughts that she had and Angela responded with positive assurance which made her feel better.

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><p><strong>Hey guys hoing to have the next chapter done in a couple of days since tomorrow is my anniversary (10 yrs married woohoo) I should spend some time with my hubby instead of making my characters happy lol<strong>

**Enjoy xx**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N Hey guys just a reminder I don't own (though I wish I did) any part of the Twilight empire ruled by Queen Stephanie. I am but a lowly servant borrowing her genius ;) Enjoy!**

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><p>After he had left Bella's apartment Edward wandered around town for a little, trying to sort through his jumbled thoughts over what had happened. He had always felt protective of Bella but from the second they had made love he had found himself anxious whenever they weren't together. The last couple of months had been hell on his temper and on his ability to concentrate. His business hadn't really suffered because it ran like a well oiled machine but his personal life had definitely taken a massive hit. Kate and Garret had asked him, several times, to come out for tea and meet some of their friends, which usually meant a girl. Thinking of his friends he fished his phone out of his pocket and dialled Garret's number, his friends' deep voice answered after two rings.<p>

Garrett-"Jesus Edward we were starting to think you had dropped off the face of the earth."

Edward- "Nah, just had some really important stuff I had to deal with. Are you and Katie home?"

G- "Yep, just got home actually. Are you nearby?"

E- "Yeah actually I am. I'll see you in five."

G- "Cool, see you soon."

They didn't say goodbye, just hung up, they never had really said goodbye that was the friendship they had. By the time he had gotten back to his car and driven to Kate and Garret's it was closer to twenty minutes after he had hung up. He loved Kate and Garrets' house on 39th Avenue E Seattle. It was a beautiful house and it was just the kind of house Edward had always seen himself in but had never gotten around to having. He parked his car in the spare spot and marvelled in the quiet street as he walked up the front walk. He had barely gotten on to the porch before the front door was thrown open and he was greeted by a ropable Kate. She was that pissed at him that her nostrils were flaring and she was breathing fast, her voice was icy as she said "Excuse me but only our friends are allowed on our property!" Edwards' smile was wane and there was no effort behind it. Even if she was pissed at him, he was so glad to be with them that he dragged her into his arms and buried his face into her sweet smelling hair and that was all it took for him to lose the control over his emotions he prided himself on. "I'm so sorry Katie, it's just…" the rest of the sentence was lost in his tears.

He felt Kate tense but couldn't let go of her and her voice sounded over and over again in his ear "Edward? What the hell? Edward, please, are you ok? Jesus please answer me. Garret!" she dragged him inside the house where Garret met them in the front room. "Sheesh Katie you were only supposed to pretend that he wasn't allowed in here." Kate just swore at him and said "I didn't do this you ass. Something is really wrong!" Her tone finally alerted Garret to the fact that Edward had lost something and that Kate had no idea how to deal with it. Garret put an arm under Edwards' and dragged him into the lounge, he shoved him into the large recliner near the fireplace and pushed a glass of whisky into his slack palm, curving his hand around the glass. Edward finally realised what Garret was trying to do and closed his hand around the glass. He felt tissues being thrust into the other hand by a devastated Kate, who wrung her hands and kept saying "I was only joking, I swear it." Her husband hugged her close and said softly "Katie I don't think this has anything to do with you." Edward looked up at them for the first time since he had been brought inside and said "I think I've done something horrible and the thing is I wouldn't change it if I could."

Garret and Kate sat staring at him with identical looks of confusion on their faces. Kate was the first to recover and she said "Ed, we can't help you if we don't understand you. Maybe it'd be better if you start from the beginning, maybe tell us what you've done." Edward gulped a mouthful of the whisky in his hand and as it burned down his throat he felt some semblance of normality return to his brain. He nodded and said "I'm sorry I've kind of been a prick these last couple of months. I've avoided dinners with you because it was to try and set me up and I love you guys for it but the truth is I lost my heart eight years ago and I never got it back." He looked over at his friends and Garret still had a look of confusion on his face but Kate's look had become more understanding and he cursed his attentive friend. "Go on Ed." Kate got more comfortable in her chair and motioned with her hand for him to continue and Edward did but the feeling of guilt still pressed upon him. "Almost four months ago I met up with this woman in a bar in South West Washington Street, we spent the night drinking and when she wanted to go home I offered to drive her wherever she wanted to go. She suggested a motel and I couldn't resist her; we spent the night making love and when I woke up she was gone. I tried to get her to talk to me but nothing got through to her. I finally gave up and yesterday I went to her business where I knew she wouldn't be able to ignore me. I startled her and she fell of a ladder. I rushed her to the ER and her wrist was broken. She also found out something that would change my life forever. She's pregnant, with my baby! My child is growing inside her body and I frightened her enough that she fell off a ladder. I could've killed them both!" Edward broke off suddenly, his breathing rapid and he took a swig of his drink as both Kate and Garret spoke at once

Kate- "Oh wow Ed a baby, awesome."

Garret- "Wait who the hell is this chick?"

K- "Is she ok though?"

G- "Who the hell is this chick?"

K- "Yeah, actually that's a good question babe, who is it Edward?"

Edward took a deep breath and said "Bella." And both Kate and Garret spoke at once again

K- "Bella? Your sister Bella?"

G- "Who the fuck is Bella?"

Both- "What the fuck Edward!"

Edward winced as their voices rose in volume and he waited for their condemnation and he got it. Their voices mixed together in barrage of sound and Edward couldn't separate them.

Kate was the first to recover but Garret was the first to speak "How the hell did that happen Ed? I mean I know how it happened but, what were you thinking?" and for the first time in his twenty year friendship with Garret his friends' voice was tinged with disappointment and that struck Edward worse than if his friend had been disgusted with him. Kate on the other hand hadn't said anything, she was just sitting there staring at him in a way that made Edward feel as if she was staring into his soul. Edward decided to ignore Kate and said to Garret "I honestly don't know G." But Garret wasn't having any of that. "That's crap Ed and you know it. She's just a baby herself, what the hell?" Garret's tone had risen in anger and the incredulity in his tone slapped Edward across the face. "I can't, won't, apologise for it. I tried to avoid her, God knows I tried, and it was easy while she was with someone else and happy but she was so sad and all I wanted was to comfort her. Honestly that was all I intended to do that night, her friend was there as well and I accepted that, was happy about being able to make her smile and relax. Then it all went downhill from there, well not downhill. I don't know how to explain it."

He closed his tired eyes, feeling like he hadn't slept for months and feeling years older than his thirty-three years as he tried to sort through the jumble in his head. He lifted his eyes to stare at his friends as they absorbed what he had said, he wanted them to understand but he wasn't sure how to get them to. The silence stretched, taking Edwards' nerves to breaking point, until Garret spoke. The incredulity had lessened but the disappointment was still clear when he said "Edward, what are you gonna do? How does she feel?" Edward felt a sharp pain in his chest as he realised he hadn't really asked Bella how she felt about their situation, she had said she wanted the baby but she also didn't want a relationship, she said the sex was awesome- and let's face it the sex was phenomenal- but she wanted to keep her life separate from his and he really didn't want that. He opened his mouth but before he could answer Kate, placing her open palm on Garret's arm to restrain him, said "Come on Garret, she isn't that much younger than me, only three years younger, and that doesn't seem to bother you. It's obvious that Edward is feeling guilty, and I'm not entirely sure he shouldn't, but it isn't our place to judge. He is our friend and we should support him." Edward cocked his head to one side and said "What's going on Kate? Any other time I've broken up with a girl, or hell hooked up with a girl, and come here to either bitch or brag you would shoot me down in flames or pay me out. Now, when you have cause to, you sit there all quiet and then you defend me." Garret was looking at his wife with a look of utter confusion on his face and Edward was sure that the same look was on his. Kate smiled serenely and said "Nothing is wrong with me and if Edward didn't love this girl the way he obviously does than he would definitely have dramas but since he does and his mother hasn't killed him yet and they are sound like they're ok with it, so why shouldn't we be? Besides it'd be nice to have a friend who's baby will be a couple of weeks older than our own." It took maybe two heartbeats for her words to sink into Garrets' brain but when they did he let out a massive whoop and swung his wife into his arms. Edward got up from the lounge and woodenly congratulated his best friends, seeing the way Garret reacted to the news that he was going to become a father made his reaction seem so much worse than it had before, and it had seemed pretty bad.

When Garret had put Kate back on her feet she turned to Edward and said "So where do you go from here?" Edward smiled self-deprecatingly and said "We, Bella and I, have talked kind of and she really wants to take things slow" laughing wryly he said "I want to be a couple but Bella wants her own space. She pretty much wants to ignore the pregnancy and try and work things out as if we were a normal couple. I don't know if I can do that because I feel this over-whelming need to be with her, all the time and when we're not together I have this strange anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don't want to miss out on any stage of this pregnancy and I want to be with Bella and make sure that she is taken care of. You haven't seen her lately, man she looks as if a strong breeze would blow her away, she has dark circles under her eyes and her skin is even more paler than usual. I'm worried that she won't look after herself properly, she works all kinds of weird hours in that shop and she is so stubborn; she doesn't accept help from anyone." Frustration coloured his voice but a short burst of laughter form Garret had Edward looking at him puzzled, Garret snorted through his nose and said "Stubborn? Doesn't look after themselves? Works crazy hours? Jeez, it's like you're talking about yourself Ed. Honestly you need to just relax, she will let you do for her what she needs done. If she says 'no' than you're going to have to accept that. I'm sorry if you don't like that but… there isn't anything you can do. In this situation you're helpless, you have to take it one day at a time." Edward, swore under his breath and frowned into his glass. Everything his friends had said rolled around inside his skull along with everything that had happened in the last day and he realised that Garret was right, he had no choice but to take it one day at a time. This realisation had him muttering into his glass "Aw fuck!" before downing the remainder of the amber liquid.

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><p><strong>So where does Edward go from here? <strong>

**How is he going to deal with reliquishing the tight control he has on his world?**

**Thanks again for reading & don't forget to leave a review :)**


	18. Chapter 18

"Hey Ed, um I didn't want to ask earlier but have you been in a fight or did Charlie do that to you?" Garret turned his loving eyes from his wife and raised his eyebrow as Kate gestured to Edwards' bruised and battered face. Edward snorted and said "Nah, Jacob did the majority of it but Angela gave me the split lip and the cut." He pointed to the small cut above his left eyebrow, chuckling he continued "Man I'm kind of glad that I won't have any need to be on her bad side, she can pack quite a punch." Edward shook his head and watched as his friends tried to comprehend what he'd been through over the last day. Garret was cracking his knuckles and muttering under his breath about retaliation and Kate was leaning toward him, gently prodding the cut above his eye and checking his lip. She gnawed on her bottom lip and said "Edward I think that cut needs stitches. It looks pretty deep." She had barely uttered the words before he was shaking his head, telling her without words that he wasn't having it seen to. "I'm tough." He said and Garret laughed, nudging his leg with his foot saying "Yeah and chicks dig scars." Kate rolled her eyes and said "Yeah we find it so sexy when you're all beaten up, especially when it was done by a little girl." That comment shut up both Edwards' and Garrets' laughter and she stood and walked from the room tossing over her shoulder "I'm ordering pizza, when you boys are finished come find me." Garret grinned guiltily at Edward before saying "Aw c'mon babe, we're just having a bit of fun." And following Kate from the room. Edward felt his laughter die as his friends left him alone with his thoughts. He had his cell in his hand and the number dialled before he had time to think about it.

Bella cursed as her cell rang from within her room but lying in her giant tub she was too comfortable to get out of the bath and answer it. After her talk with Angela she was feeling more relaxed about the situation she had found herself in. Angela was more excited than grossed out about her and Edward (not to mention the baby) and she was supportive and had offered her help whenever it was needed, and Ange was the only friend who's opinion she really cared about. The cell phone stopped ringing cutting off _Anya Marina's Satellite Heart_ and quiet reigned again but her peace had been interrupted and swearing under her breath she stepped from the tub, she snagged her robe from the hook on the wall, bent double to let the water from the tub, walked from the bathroom into her bedroom. She pumped the strawberry scented moisturiser into her hand and proceeded to rub it all over her body, making sure to concentrate on the skin over her uterus, and it was as she did this that she felt something move inside her. At first she dismissed the sensation, blaming her brain for being over tired, but when it happened again she panicked. Snatching up her phone she ignored the missed calls and dialled the first number in her addresses, pacing up and down in agitation waiting for the person on the other end to answer.

"Hello?" hearing Jaspers' slow southern drawl usually had a calming effect on her but hearing it now only served to further agitate her. She heard her own breathing as it sawed against her throat "Jazz, god please, is Alice there?" She heard the rustle of fabric that indicated that Jasper had been in bed when she had called. He must have been the closest to Alice's phone and the panic she had been feeling double as the seconds passed and he went to find Alice. She could hear their muffled voices and she could hear Alice saying "Jazz go get your phone, just in case." before coming on the line and saying "Isabella? Honey what's the matter?" Alice's voice was calm and reassuring, soft and without panic but it wasn't helping her. Bella could feel her breathing escalating and she could tell she wasn't far off a panic attack "Alice, I think something is wrong. I just got out of the bath and when I was rubbing cream over my stomach _something_ moved Alice! I don't know what to do! Is that even normal? What the fuck Alice?" Her words sounded overly loud in her empty apartment and their echo made her ears ring, she found her way to the sofa and sunk into it. She could hear Alice's breathing but she hadn't said anything and the suspense was driving her crazy "Alice!" she pleading shouted down the phone and was rewarded with "Ok Bells, Jazz is on the phone to Emmett, he has just finished work and he is gonna stop in to check on you, ok? Just try and calm yourself down, I'm sure it's nothing but getting all stressed isn't going to help. Breathe with me Bells, c'mon, in through your nose and out through your mouth. C'mon honey just like in yoga. We need to get you relaxed, I'm not going anywhere and Emmett is on his way to yours. I'll be right here until Emmett steps into your apartment, ok hun. That's it breathe, good girl, awesome. Bells do you feel any better?" Bella shuddered as her breathing hitched again and the panic set back in "No, god damn it Alice. I'm so scared! What if what happened yesterday, followed by today has done something to the baby? What if I lose it? Oh god. Fuck!" She could hear Alice chanting "Breathe Bella, c'mon just breathe." into her ear but the sound of her buzzer had her almost dropping the phone. She panted into the cell "Alice, I think he's here, just hang on a second." jabbing her finger against the intercom she screeched "Emmett?" his deep voice sounded almost musical to her panicked mind, she buzzed him in, opened her door and waited for him to reach her. The second she saw the door to the elevator open and his wide shoulders became visible she lost the plot, dropping the phone she fell to her knees and started to sob.

_Emmett's POV_

The second he got the call from Jasper he swung his car around. He had been on the way home to Rose and the girls but the scared tone in Jasper's voice had him fretful. Jasper said that Bella had called and had been frantic about something to do with the baby and that Alice was still on the phone trying to calm her down. Emmett told Jazz that he was heading there straight away and asked him to call Rose and let her know, just in case. It didn't take long for him to get to Bella's apartment and, grabbing his shit out of the car, he ran up the path to the front door. Emmett stabbed his finger against the button next to her name and waited, for what seemed like forever, before her voice screamed my name over the intercom. A buzzing sounded next and the door unlocked; He silently thanked whoever was running the world at that point because as he entered the lobby the elevator doors slid open. He pressed the number for her floor and made the torturously slow climb, the second the elevator binged and the doors slid open he could see her standing in her doorway but the second she saw him she dropped to her knees and started to cry.

Emmett wasn't really good with tears, normally they were his undoing if one of his girls cried he felt as if his heart would stop, but they didn't bother him now. Now the doctor side of him took over, he gathered Bella into his arms, marvelling at how tiny she actually was, and carried her into her bedroom. He laid her onto the bed and got her attention "Ok Bells you need to tell me what happened. Now to do that I need you to calm down, can you do for the baby Bella?" He watched as his word sunk in and she tried to reign in her fear. He reached for the phone still clutched in her hand and spoke into it "Ali, look, I'll call you as soon as I know what I'm dealing with ok. Bye."

"Ok Bella, tell me what happened." And when she spoke I wasn't surprised to hear the panic she had barely been able to control but her words were strong and clear. "I was having a bath, the phone rung but I ignored it but it had interrupted me so I got out. I was rubbing lotion onto my skin and when I rubbed it across my stomach _something_ moved. I freaked out and called Alice. I'm scared that I've done something to hurt the baby." Emmett felt himself relax and he felt a smile creep onto his face, the stress he had felt was slowly leaving his body as he realised what had happened to Bella. He controlled the smile threatening to break onto his face; he didn't want to upset her further. He wanted to examine her anyway, just in case his hunch was wrong. It was as he opened his bag and drew out his gloves that Emmett realised that this young woman, for all intents and purposes, was his sister and that she may not want him examining her. "Bells is it ok for me to examine you or did you want to go to the hospital?" she shook her head, grabbed his hand and said "Em I trust you, you'll tell me the truth even if it'll upset me, you're a wonderful doctor." She dropped her head back against the pillow and her mouth moved but no sound came out, he figured she was praying and he didn't want to pry. He gloved up and turned back towards Bella. As he did he remembered what she had said about just having come from the bath. Grabbing the small blanket from the foot of the bed he laid it across Bella's slight frame, trying to preserve her modesty.

As his fingers prodded her lower abdomen and he felt around her pelvic area Emmett questioned Bella over her pregnancy. "Is there any pain or bleeding?" She shook her head, her eyes never leaving his "What was the date of your last period?" Bella flushed and for a second her thought she wasn't going to answer but she said "Ah, not sure Em. I guess that's why I didn't realise I was pregnant. I've never really been 'regular' so I just forget to keep track of it." Emmett felt himself nod, he had heard so many women say the same thing and it had stopped surprising him, but he was thankful that Rose was so regular because she would notice if something was wrong and they could get it checked before it got worse but women whose cycles weren't regular, well it made it harder. "Ok and the last time you had unprotected sex?" He felt the muscles in Bella's stomach jump at his question, her whole body tensed, but with a raised eyebrow she stared straight at him and said "This morning, but I guess considering I'm already pregnant I'm thinking you meant before I got pregnant?" Emmett felt a slight blush heat the skin of his neck at her candidness- but somewhere deep inside he felt a surge of brotherly pride that Edward had made love to her this morning after everything, he knew it was stupid but what could he do- he cleared his throat and said "Yeah I meant before you got pregnant." She sighed and said "I've never had unprotected sex, ever. I've been on the pill since I was sixteen but according to the doctor at the hospital the gastric bug I'd had the week before Edward and I hooked up caused some drama, knocked me off my cycle. Hahaha it knocked me off my cycle and Edward knocked me up." Emmett touched a gentle hand to her arm and said "I understand this is tough for you but you do realise that we are all here for you. You don't have to do this on your own." She nodded and he continued asking questions and feeling around her stomach. He grabbed his portable Doppler out of his bag, squirting some gel onto the end he said "Bells this'll be cold but there isn't anything I can do." He rubbed the little machine over her abdomen and was relieved when a strong swishing noise filled the bedroom. He saw Bella visibly relax as she heard the sound of her baby's heartbeat. Emmett watched her face as he counted the heart rate to see if it was with the normal range between 120 bpm and 160 bpm and felt himself relax. He smiled and removed the Doppler, wiping the sticky gel off her stomach he said "Bells I'm happy to say that your baby seems ok. What you experienced was the baby moving. It happens around now and since you're only tiny that was what you felt. Relax Bells, everything seems to be perfect. When do you have your appointment with your gyno?"

Bella felt herself relax as Emmett proclaimed her baby to be good and when he said it was probably the baby moving she felt a sense of wonder at the news. She dropped her palm to her stomach and as Emmett asked about her doctors' appointment she remembered the message on her machine earlier that afternoon "Um, tomorrow. I was lucky that she had a cancelation; it normally takes me weeks to get an appointment with her. I think they kind of squeezed me in." she chuckled and re-tied her robe before scooting off the bed. She grabbed her cell and said "I feel like a complete idiot Emmett, I worried everyone over nothing. I feel so bad. I'm gonna ring Alice now and apologise." She hit redial and after half a ring it answered "Is everything ok? What was it?" The panic in Alice's voice had Bella feeling worse than a second before she dialled, she cringed at the panic she had induced in her family and said "I'm all good Ali, I promise. I really over-reacted, apparently what it was- well is- is my child moving." The wonder of her baby had a smile spreading over her face but the silence from the other end had her feeling guilty again "I'm so sorry Alice, I just panicked and you were the first person I thought to call." A strangled coughing laugh from the other end made Bella feel a little better about her over-reaction but Alice swearing had her cringing and starting to apologise again. Alice cut her off and her tone was embarrassed and slightly apologetic "Ah, Bells, you might want to hold up on the apologies until you here what Rose's done."

A cold sliver of apprehension speared down Bella's spine as she asked "What has Rose done?" she looked at Emmett who had a stunned look on his handsome face, trying to see if he knew what his gorgeous wife had done, he just shrugged his massive shoulders. Alice, obviously sensing her panic, said "She rang me to find out what if anything I knew. I told her what you had been like and well she quickly hung up. I think, well no I know she called Edward. I'm so sorry Bella but he's on his way to your place. Actually I'm surprised he isn't there already." Before Bella could say anything her front door swung wide and Edward stormed into the room looking like a fallen angel, his messy copper locks looking the worse for wear, his gorgeous face showing his fear over what he was going to find. She whispered something into the phone and hung up. She looked to Emmett for direction but Emmett was staring at his brother like he'd never seen him before. She didn't really get a chance to say anything because the second his eyes found her she was swept into a crushing hug and he was kissing every inch of her face.

Edward was enjoying the pizza and the company in Kate and Garret's spacious kitchen and for the first time in months he felt relaxed and at ease. That was until his cell phone rung and _Van Morrisons' Brown Eyed Girl_ rung out into the room. Garret snorted into his cup and Kate laughingly said "Well at least we know why you chose that song as your ring tone." while he fished the phone out of his pants pocket. Frowning down at the phone, which was flashing Rose's name, he was hard pressed to understand why she was calling him. Shrugging he slid his finger across the screen and said "Hey Rose, what's up?" Her voice was off and sounded stressed "Ed, something's wrong with Bella. Emmett is at her place." She probably was going to say something else but the second she said something was wrong with Bella, his world froze and all he could worry about was getting to her. The drama was that he'd had a couple of beers, not to mention the scotch Garret had practically poured down his throat, and he shouldn't drive. He stood floundering in his friends' kitchen, panic spreading through his entire body. He needed to get to Bella but he didn't know how. "I need, Bella, I've gotta go. A cab, can't drive, Kate?" he heard himself rambling but he didn't care, luckily for him Kate understood his crazy talk and took charge, she grabbed his keys and said "Ok boys in the car, Edward where does Bella live?" Edward stared dumbly at Kate as she ushered them from the kitchen, his scrambled brain trying to catch up, he found himself telling Kate Bella's address and allowing her to shove him into the passenger seat of his own car. Garret, with his extra long legs, complained about the lack of space in the back of Edward's car but Kate just shot him a look that had him sitting there quietly. Edward was cursing himself; he should have gone over there earlier when she didn't answer her phone. He mentally screamed at himself 'why the hell didn't you go check on her earlier'. His panic was reaching fever pitch as they drove in complete silence.

They made it to Bella's apartment and before Kate had stopped the car he was out of it and racing up the sidewalk. He keyed in the code, his fingers shaking so badly that he keyed in the wrong one twice. He swore, took a calming breath, keyed in the right code- by that time Kate and Garret were standing right behind him- reefed the door opened and sped into the foyer. He ignored the elevator and raced for the stairs, taking them two at a time. He didn't really care if his friends were behind him but he could hear their feet slapping against the concrete steps as they ran to keep up with him. The fire door didn't stop his progress he just pushed it open and continued down to Bella's door. He tugged her key from his pocket and, after three tries, got it fitted in the lock and turned it. Hearing the lock snick out of place he twisted the knob and strode into the apartment.

He hadn't heard anything the entire time he had raced to get to her, all he could think about was that there was something wrong and he wasn't there to help. He barged into her apartment and saw her standing in the centre of the room with her phone to her ear. She dropped the phone and looked at him, as if stunned to see him standing there. Edward felt warm relief slide throughout his body and all he wanted was to hold her. He crossed the room in a heartbeat and dragged her into a crushing hug, kissing her face wherever he could. He smoothed a hand over her head again and again, reassuring himself that she was there and appeared unharmed. Twisting her he put a shaking hand against her stomach and said "Are you guys ok? Rose called and I had to be here." He watched as a smile, that lit her up like a Christmas tree, graced her mouth and she said "Yeah, um, Ed I'm sorry. I overreacted and I panicked. Alice's number was the first I called and since she's pregnant I wanted to ask her. She got Jazz to call Emmett and he came straight over, it was the baby. But Ed nothing is wrong. I felt our baby move for the first time."

Edward felt himself sag with relief at the fact that nothing was wrong with either Bella or the baby and when she said that it was the baby moving that she had felt he was surprised, on some level, that it didn't cause him to panic over the reality that there baby was growing under his palm. As long as they were both ok he didn't care, he lifted his eyes from Bella's and searched for his brother "Em is everything really ok?" Emmett smiled and Edward probed his eyes to see if he was hiding something as Emmett said "Everything is the way it should be. She has no pain or bleeding and her panic is understandable since she only found out, like, thirty-six hours ago that she was having a baby. To have it move, her panic was justified. She does have to realise that she shouldn't hesitate to call and that we'll be there to help without her feeling guilty about it. I checked the baby out as much as I can. Heartbeat 150bpm healthy sounds all good, she should definitely go to that appointment tomorrow and have the ultrasound done to make sure but my guess is that your baby is doing everything he/she is supposed to. Now I'm gonna go home and see my own beautiful children and gorgeous wife." Bending down he kissed the top of Bella's head and said "Don't hesitate to call if something feels wrong, that's what family is for. Ed, I'll talk to you later. Kate, Garret I'll see you guys later as well." He hugged his brother before gathering his bag and leaving Bella's now crowded apartment.

Bella cringed as Emmett acknowledged the other two people in the room, she waved goodbye to Emmett but really wanted to bury her head in Edwards' chest and die of embarrassment. For her meltdown to be witnessed by family was one thing but to have Edwards' closest friends witness it as well was mortifying but she knew that she owed it to Edward to be polite. She drew, as far as Edward would allow, away from his chest and said "Hi guys, I'm so sorry if this interrupted your evening. I feel like a complete fool." She smiled and even she could tell the smile was sheepish, she just shrugged and said "What can I say the last couple of days have been full on and I overreacted. Have a seat, um; did anyone want coffee or maybe tea? I think there might be a couple of beers in the fridge if you want them." Garret, who she always thought was a lot like Emmett, sat in the single chair, while Kate chose to sit on the sofa. "I'll take a beer thanks." Said Garret; Bella smiled, her smile widening when Kate said "Garret you are not having a beer, honestly. I would really like a cup of coffee, is there any chance that you have decaf? I'm not allowed regular since I found out I'm pregnant." Her smile was so radiant that Bella squealed and ran to her, hugging her they jumped around in a little circle. Part of Bella's brain realised that this was sill considering that before this they hadn't spoken more than ten times and their conversations were always polite but not really friendly but there was a greater part that was glad that she had someone else to compare notes over her pregnancy with.

Edward watched the two women jump around and his heartbeat slowed back to normal as he figured for himself that Bella was ok. He gestured for Garret to follow him; they left the girls chattering away in the lounge, into the kitchen where he started searching for the things they needed to make coffee. "How're you doin' mate?" Garrets' voice was quiet as he watched Edward wander around the small kitchen. Edward shrugged and said "I really don't know, I mean; don't get me wrong I'm so beyond glad that there is nothing wrong with the baby. So I'm relieved in that sense but I'm so worried about being a parent, man how the hell am I supposed to do that? My dad died when I was seven, I only had mum and I was twenty-five when mum met Charlie. I've never had a 'father' figure to show me how it's done. How are you coping?" Garret grinned wryly and said "Dude I am flat out panicking. I'm happy we're pregnant and it is something that Kate has wanted for years but it wasn't happening so now that it has I'm really happy. But I'm also in your boat. I'm worried that I'll be a crappy dad but I figure that that is the way every dad is supposed to feel." Edward nodded and the panic he had been feeling receded somewhat, it only pricked at his conscious instead of controlling it. "Yeah I guess you're right Gar and I'm pleased for you and Kate and I'm happy I'm gonna have someone to share my crazy with." He laughed and Garret joined in, they fixed the tray with mugs, coffee pot, sugar and milk, Edward rummaged through the cupboard and found some biscuits, they took the tray out into the living area where the girls were still chatting. He lowered the tray onto the coffee table, saying as he did so "Luckily there was enough decaf to make this pot but you'll have to buy more." Bella smile serenely up at him and said "Thanks Ed, I appreciate it." And Edward felt a bubble of ease slide through him. This could work.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N Hey guys sorry for the delay in the post but it's here now :) Enjoy and let me know what you think. **

**Don't forget that I don't own Twilight and I no infringement is intended **

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><p>"Hey, Bella, where did you want me to put this order?" Angela's voice broke through her day dream making Bella jump. Bella had returned to work, against Edward's wishes, and for the last two weeks had been under a constant barrage of concern from him and Angela. Between the pair of them she could barely breathe without them asking if she was ok, it annoyed her but she understood their concern even though both she and the baby were fine. The ultrasound had shown what Emmett had predicted, a very healthy and very active foetus. They had opted not to find out the sex of the baby, even though she could see that Edward really wanted to find out he agreed that it would be a great surprise when heshe was actually born.

It was strange that her body all of a sudden started looking pregnant, her stomach had swelled and her pants were getting tight, she figure that since she now was eating everything in sight that it was to be expected. The one thing she really didn't like was her boobs. She had a decent bust before she fell pregnant but in the last two weeks her boobs had swollen and now she didn't fit in her D cup bras, Edward of course didn't see her problem but then again she didn't expect him to.

"Yeah Ang, just leave it there and I'll sort through it and we can put it away later." She watched her friend leave the room and was about to sort out the delivery when the tinkle of their shop bell sounded. The sight of her ex fiancé had a lead weight settling in her stomach. She was very thankful that her maternity top was cut in a way that it made her pregnancy not all that noticeable to others, until she stood up; she really didn't want to go there with random people. "Jacob, how can I help you?" she figured polite was the quickest way to get him out of her shop without a fight. She shot a glance at Ange who, had come back out of the back room at the sound of the bell, disappeared into the room behind her again and she knew that she was calling Edward to figure out what to do. Jacob watched Ange before he turned his onyx eyes back to her. "Good afternoon Bella. I was wondering what the meaning of this is." She watched with dawning comprehension as he unfolded the restraining order, waving it back and forth in front of her eyes. She cleared her throat and said "It's a restraining order Jacob." The muscle in his jaw twitched as he fought his temper, his eyes narrowed and he said through clenched teeth "I can read Bella. I want to know why you got one."

Bella felt her mouth drop with incredulity and for a few seconds she stared at him like a moron before she snapped out of it "Are you really serious? Um, I'm thinking I took it out because you punched me! The police don't look lightly on that crap, especially when you hit a pr…. ah, woman." She froze as she almost blurted out her pregnancy but the look on his face didn't change so she knew he hadn't caught her slip up. His face slid into a smile and he said "Oh come now Bella, we both know that didn't happen. We wouldn't want something to happen to this store over false accusations." Bella blinked up at him as his friendly mask slipped and she saw the true malice behind the façade, she nodded and said "The bruise has faded enough that I can cover it with make-up but we took photos. No Jacob I wouldn't want anything to happen and that is a threat and it won't sit well with the police if I called them." She reared back as he stepped forward and snarled in her face "Don't threaten me Isabella. I could destroy you and not even think about it." He jerked around and strode away from her as he reached the door, Bella found her voice "Have a nice Christmas Jacob." He flipped her off and walked out.

Relief hit Bella like a flood and her knees shook as she sat back heavily on the stool they had placed behind the counter for her. She dropped her head into her hands before remembering Angela. "Ange, don't stress, he's gone. Tell whoever it was that you just called that it was a false alarm." She could hear Ange talking into her phone but she ignored it; Christmas was two and a half weeks away and business was booming. She was thankful for the lull in customers for Jacobs' show and decided to forget it happened. She knew that it wasn't going to be that easy because if she had to bet on who Angela was talking to, she would bet Edward, and she would win.

"C'mon guys those bricks aren't gonna lay themselves. Billy can you please organise more staunches and rebar, this customer wants it completed and he's paying us a lot of money." Chuckling to himself Edward checked over the running of his business from within his office. He had initiated a link-up via the internet to the building site in Forks, Billy was his foreman down there and he was a fantastic worker. "Hey Bill, is there anything you need me to know?" Edward asked out of courtesy because whenever Billy oversaw and building site it went smoothly and there were never any dramas, but something in the way Billy shifted from foot to foot had Edward feeling uneasy "Yeah boss actually there is. We have had several acts of vandalism on the job site and not just graffiti; I'm talking fire, broken windows, missing fencing. Something is going on and it's not random, I'm thinking maybe a competitor for this job, a man was injured the other day because the rivets in the scaffold he was working on broke. Dude that shit just doesn't happen, I had a look before the cops turned up but I couldn't figure out how it was done. It just seems like lots of bad luck." Edward watched as Billy shrugged and ran his hand through his greying hair, Edward frowned and said "Look Bill, send me the incident reports and I'll schedule a trip to come down there. We're really swamped with the completion of Cullen Towers and my girlfriend is pregnant and I don't really like leaving her but both of our parents live down that way so maybe I could get her to agree to come for a visit so I can check it out." Billy smiled with relief and signed off. Edward picked up his office phone just as his cell rang. Seeing Ange's number had his heart beating double time, answering it he said "What's up Ange?" he could barely hear her and he said "Ange speak up I can't hear you." Her voice came a little louder but not a lot and he strained to hear her "I said Jacob is here. Bella is talking to him, it doesn't look like he's here to cause trouble but I thought you'd want to know." The blood in Edward's veins ran cold at the thought of that foul creature anywhere near his Bella. He swore and said "Ange stay on the line I'm on my way." He could tell she was smiling as she said "Yeah I figured as much." He walked out of his office and was in his car, Ange repeating what she could hear of the conversation, when she said "Hmm looks like a false alarm Edward, he is leaving. No blood shed nothing, I'm so sorry for overreacting, it's just after the last time he saw her" she let her sentence drift and Edward felt anger pooling within him over the punch Jacob had dealt Bella. The fading yellow that covered her jaw and cheek served as a reminder of that day all the time. "Alright Ange, don't hesitate to call me if it happens again but call the police first. I want records of harassment. C'ya Ange." her quiet goodbye had him wishing he was there to protect Bella all the time. He knew he couldn't, he knew she wouldn't allow it, and he knew he shouldn't but she was so important to him.

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><p><strong>Hmm over protective much? Poor Edward I don't know how the hell he's gonna make it through the next couple of months lol, like most first time dads I see quiet a few stressed out moments.<strong>

**Don't forget if you're enjoying the story or even have ideas about where it should go leave me a review.**

**See you all soon**

**xxx**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N Don't forget I don't own any of the Twilight characters I'm borrowing them for my universe ;)**

**Ok The designer is real and you can find her clothes at .com/maternity-clothes I really liked them that's why I chose her designs**

**The place they eat at is also a real restaurant in Seattle.**

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><p>They were going out for dinner that night and for the life of her she couldn't find anything to wear. She finally settled on a dress she had just brought online, an electric plum coloured ruffle wrap dress, the second she put it on she felt better. It didn't hide her pregnancy but it didn't make her look like she was just putting on weight either. Her swelling bump looked 'adorable' in it according to Angela who was having too much fun buying maternity clothes from Isabella Oliver (Ange found it funny to buy clothing from someone called Isabella for her) that Bella didn't want, they were stunningly beautiful and she loved them she just didn't want to have to wear maternity clothing. She teamed it with opaque tights and low slung black heels. Her watch, her diamond studs, and the diamond pendant Edward had brought her the week before were her only jewellery. She let her hair loose, since she wore it up all the time for work, and was surprised at how shiny it looked. Bella rarely wore makeup but the bruise on the side of her face made a light foundation necessary, she slicked some gloss across her lips and ran the mascara wand through her long lashes. Stepping back from the mirror in her room she was pleased with the results. She grabbed her purse from the floor and threw her cell, her lip gloss and a hair band into it. Bella gave herself a final once over, not really pleased with the overall effect but resigned to the fact there was nothing she could do about it she left her room. She had reached the living area when her front door opened and Edward walked in. He looked absolutely gorgeous in a charcoal grey Italian suit with a navy tie and shockingly bright white shirt. The colours offset his gorgeous bronze hair and stunning green eyes. He had tried to tame his hair and the effect was dazzling. She could feel herself staring but there wasn't anything she could do about it, he was beautiful and she was having a hard time stopping herself from crossing the small space between them and tearing his clothes from his back.<p>

She became nervous when she realised he was staring at her and that he hadn't said anything. She tugged at the sleeve of her dress and smoothed the front, trying to cover up the noticeable bump there. "Stop it Bella!" Edward's voice sounded rough and there was something in it that had her looking up from where she had been smoothing her dress. There was a look in his eyes she couldn't identify and it confused her. His eyes shone with something that looked like pride, and she didn't understand it. She was plain and sure she had a nice figure, well before she got pregnant, and she knew he found her sexually attractive but it just didn't make sense. She watched him with confused eyes as he came toward her, he dropped to his knees and she automatically said "Edward get up, you'll crease your suit. Ed, what are you doing?" his head had rested against the swell of their unborn child and he was just sitting there, pressing small kisses against her material covered stomach. He lifted his head and stared into her eyes, his face wore a stunningly sexy smile and his eyes had a shimmer of tears as he said "Oh my god Bella you are absolutely spectacular." Bella felt herself chuckle and said "I was just thinking the same thing about you Ed." She helped, well tried to help, him to his feet but she may as well have done nothing. It was at that precise moment that her stomach chose to growl. She flushed with embarrassment but Edward laughed and said "I guess the baby is hungry." Bella laughed and said "Forget the baby, mamma is hungry." She looked into his smiling face and was surprised to see a possessive flash in his green eyes.

They ate at a place called Metropolitan Grill on 2nd Ave. The food was spectacular and Bella ate more than she ever had in her entire life, and when she thought it was finished more food arrived and their conversation flowed freely and nothing seemed out of bounds; from work to family, friends to old flames. It was nice to have some questions answered and it felt good to just talk with Edward without any awkward feelings or misunderstood words. They were eating desert when Bella become physically uncomfortable, the baby had been moving more and more in the last couple of weeks but for some reason tonight he/she was giving a spectacular performance of womb dancing. She tried to hide her discomfort but she must have either had a weird look on her face or fallen quiet for too long because Edward reached across the table and said "Hey Bella are you ok?" she tried smiling but a series of inner tumbles from the baby had her shifting in her seat, she didn't want to freak him out because she was pretty sure this was normal so she said "Yeah Ed, I'm fine, honestly it's just the baby is rehearsing its circus act and I'm just not used to it." She pushed a little away from the table and looked down at her stomach, she motioned for Edward to move his chair closer and when he did she grabbed his hand and pressed it firmly against her stomach. She didn't even know if he would be able to feel the baby but she wanted to share the strange feeling of their child moving inside her, she still wasn't used to it. They sat like that for what seemed like forever when suddenly a particularly strong roll, or kick or whatever, happened, Bella looked up into Edwards' face and watched as his feelings of awe showed on his face. "Bella I felt it! I felt the baby, wow, how awesome is that?" Bella chuckled and said "Oh yeah it's awesome except for when I'm trying to sleep or you know do inventory." She laughed again when the baby performed another barrel roll and kicked against her stomach harder this time.

Edward watched Bella through dinner and was so relieved that she seemed at ease and comfortable with spending time with him. It sounds crazy but they had never actually spent time alone together (other than the night they first made love), he had kept his distance, even though it was driving him crazy and he really wanted to be there with her. She seemed thankful of that fact. The conversation and the food flowed and he was kind of stunned at the food Bella could put away. She was tiny but man could she eat, he never understood women who wouldn't eat when they were hungry. His mother had always said to them 'Eat whatever you like but do it in moderation. If you want chocolate than have chocolate but don't eat it all the time.' He found that easy and his lifestyle was healthy and he was pleased that Bella seemed to be the same way; he couldn't imagine her starving herself of their baby just so she could fit into her jeans. Speaking of the way she looked, she had blown his mind when he had first seen her that evening. The swell of her stomach had suddenly happened, one day it wasn't there the next it was and he found himself wanting to touch it all the time but he controlled that impulse because he didn't want to freak her out. When he walked into her apartment and he could move his eyes from her gorgeous face he trailed them down her body where they rested on the bump of their unborn child. She fiddled with her sleeve and then tried to cover her belly- she had told him the week her stomach started poking out that it was a source of amazement but also a source of discomfort because suddenly everyone wanted to touch her and she just wasn't a touchy feely kind of person- but he found her stomach so precious and sexy and seeing her body swelling with their child was like seeing the dream he had had weeks before coming true. He wasn't able to help himself he crossed the room and dropped to his knees in front of her and nestled his head against her stomach, kissing it and just worshiping it. She had protested but he quickly nipped that in the bud but instead of stripping her clothes from her body and kissing her all over before making love to her he controlled himself and her growling stomach had him laughing and postponing the kissing.

Dinner was delicious and they talked about everything then suddenly Bella went quiet and got a strange look on her face, she kept squirming and he figured she needed to pee; she had been doing that a lot lately. But she didn't excuse herself, just sat there looking uncomfortable, finally he said "Hey Bella, are you ok?" She jerked her head up and said "Yeah Ed, I'm fine, honestly it's just the baby is rehearsing its circus act and I'm just not used to it." Edward felt a spark of insane jealousy that she could feel their baby but he couldn't but he pushed it down because, hello not her fault she could fell it and he couldn't! Bella pushed away from the table and he figured she was going to go to the bathroom but she curled her fingers towards herself, beckoning him closer, and he went. She grabbed his hand and pushed it against the lower half of her bump, his mind went into to overdrive trying to calm his libido at the thought that if she was naked his fingers would be resting just an inch from her vagina. Those thoughts were obliterated as a rolling motion against his hand had his eyes shooting to hers and him saying "Bella I felt it! I felt the baby, wow, how awesome is that?" she chuckled dryly and said "Oh yeah it's awesome except for when I'm trying to sleep or you know do inventory." She laughed again when the baby performed another barrel roll and kicked against her stomach harder this time and Edward couldn't resist her any longer. Abandoning her stomach he cupped her head and brought her mouth to his, the kiss was sweet and soft but the fire that raged inside him would soon burn the softness away. He deepened the kiss and when she moaned into his mouth he almost blew his load right then, it had been weeks since they had made love and he wanted her beneath him, on top of him, beside him, he didn't care he just wanted to bring them both some ecstasy. He felt her pulling away and resisted a little before his lust filled brain realised they were still in public. He opened his eyes and stared at her face, her lips plump and moist from his kiss and her brown eyes shimmered with desire. She reached for her purse and said "We need to leave Ed, or I'm gonna shock the shit out of all these patrons and fuck you on the table." Edward had never heard her say anything like that (in public) and he stumbled for his wallet and pulling out god know how much money he tossed it on the table and practically dragged Bella from the restaurant.

They avoided touching on the way to the car for fear of devouring one another than and there but the second Edward fished his keys from his pocket and pressed the remote and the car beeped, opening the doors, she couldn't help herself. Bella wanted him and she didn't want to wait much longer for him to bury his cock inside her. She ignored the implication that she should get into the passenger seat and she walked around to the drivers' door. Edward cocked his eyebrow and smirked as she neared, she smiled coyly back, stepping closer she said quietly "Um, Ed, just wondering… if you're up to it… I." closing her eyes she sucked in a calming breath but before she could say anything further her phone rang. "Fuck, god damn, fucking annoying son of a bitch interruptions." She swore like a sailor as she fished out her phone, swiping her finger across the screen she said "Hello?" She all but moaned as Edward, smiling wickedly and making her panties uncomfortably wet, kissed and nibbled at her neck. The voice on the other end had a chill running up her spine, her entire body went rigid but not a single sound came from her mouth. Edward finally noticed and his voice seemed to come from a great distance.

"Bella, honey what's the matter?" her breathing had hitched and there was a look of absolute horror on her face that could only mean something bad had happened. Bella's body started to shake at first it was just the hand that was holding the phone and it seemed to travel through her body as if radiating from that spot. He snagged the cell phone from her grasp and spoke into it "Who is this?" his demanding tone still held a rasp of lingering desire but the person on the other end spoke quickly and professionally "My name is Sergeant Embry Call and I was checking to make sure that, ah, Miss Isabella Swan was fine. There has been a fire in her building and the door man couldn't remember seeing her leave. We haven't yet been able to go into the building; we are having some drama, um, putting out the fire." Edwards' brain froze and he could understand why Bella had become motionless in shock, her home was on fire and she may have lost everything. He changed hands and dragged Bella closer to his body, her shakes still hadn't subsided. Edward finally found his voice after the third "Hello sir? Is anyone there?" he cleared his throat and said "Yes, sorry, I'm here. Miss Swan is fine and I gather that she isn't getting into her apartment anytime tonight?" He listened as the police officer on the other end told him that the apartment seemed almost a complete loss and that they had been lucky to get everybody out safely and that it definitely looked like foul play. The reality that Bella would've been in that apartment if he hadn't wanted to go out for tea made his stomach churn. Once the officer was finished telling Edward what was required of he and Bella, Edward thanked the man for his call and hung up. Sliding her phone into his pocket he guided her to a nearby bus stop. She still hadn't spoken and he was starting to worry that she was slipping into shock. He rubbed gentle circles across her back and said softly "Bella, babe, are you ok?" she still made no move to speak or even to blink. He figured he'd let her stare into space for a few more minutes before he'd take her to the hospital and checked out.

She had missed everything after she answered her phone, the world had faded and her panic was prevalent. The second the officer's voice had came through the speaker she had frozen and her brain had screamed in panic. When she had calmed down enough to focus on anything she started by trying to control her breathing and when she had that controlled she tried for something bigger, like her hearing. Suddenly the buzz of passing traffic, people walking by, and Edward breathing deeply echoed in her mind. She was pretty sure she had gotten complete control when she started to feel her fingers digging into the palms of her hands hard enough to draw small crescents of blood to the surface. She looked over at Edward and said "I'm so sorry, all I heard was 'Fire at your apartment' and I panicked. Everything I own is in that apartment, all of my photos, my memories. What am I gonna do?" Edward drew his lower lip between his teeth, chewing it as he thought, after a few minutes he said "Bella, it sucks that your place is damaged and your stuff is gone but you're ok and you can replace most of the stuff you had in the apartment. And as far as I'm concerned you're safe and that's all that matters."

Bella felt anger welling up inside of her at his casual brushing aside of her belongings, she jumped up from the bench they had been sitting on and said "Well excuse me for caring about my things. I liked my things, enjoyed my furniture, love my clothes- when I could fit into most of them- my pictures are irreplaceable and some of the things in that apartment were my mothers. How the hell am I supposed to replace those Edward? Please tell me, because I don't know. Where am I supposed to go know? I can't move back to Forks because it's to far away from work and my doctors appointments, I don't want to buy another apartment until I know what's happening with this one, and I don't want to crash at a motel. I don't know how long it's gonna take for them to fix my place." Bella felt her hard won control slipping but she just couldn't help it and still Edward hadn't said anything. Hot tears trickled down her flushed cheeks and she angrily swiped them away

He hated tears but her anger had him dumbfounded and he sat staring up at her with his mouth hanging open. His confusion fried his brain and he heard himself say "I'm sorry Bella I didn't mean to imply that your stuff is unimportant. I'm more of a glass is half full kinda guy instead of a doom and gloom all the time." He shrunk back as she yelled in his face "A 'glass half full guy' oh well fucking excuse me! My life is falling apart and you want me to look on the bright side?" The angry colour that flushed across her cheeks had him shifting uncomfortably on the bench as blood pooled in his loins but his own temper ignited and he found himself yelling back at her "I'd love for you to pull your head outta your ass and realise that I'm here trying to help." She shoved her hands against his chest and screamed "I am not going to sleep with you Edward! You're being a fucking asshole." Edward lost his temper and yelled right back "I don't remember asking you to sleep with me Bella, fuck over react much?" he realised right at that point that trying to have a conversation with her at that point would be almost impossible. He walked past her and went to the car. He opened the car door and slid behind the wheel; twisting the key in the ignition he waited for her to join him. He watched Bella through the windscreen and her inner struggle was almost comical. She visibly warred within herself about whether or not to get in the car. In the end her stubbornness won out, he chuckled when she flipped him off and strode away from him. Edward swore loudly and extensively before throwing the car into gear and driving off in the other direction. Arguing with him self about what he was going to do. He had driven about five blocks before his conscience won out; he couldn't let the mother of his child wonder around alone and cold. Yelling "Ahhh Fuck It!" he spun the wheel and completing an illegal u-turn he sped back towards Bella. He found her two blocks from the restaurant, walking with her shoulders hunched and her head down. He slowed the car and wound the window down, calling her name and getting her attention "Bella, come on honey get in the car."

Bella tried to ignore his sexy voice, he really had pissed her off but now her anger had burned away she realised she had overreacted but she wasn't going to allow him to know how she felt. So instead of saying anything she just flipped him off and kept walking. He kept calling her name, driving at a snails pace and waiting for her to cave. A tiny old lady with cotton candy type hair stopped her and said "Honey are you ok?" Bella smiled, even though she didn't feel like it, and said "Yeah thanks, he's just being an asshole and I'm making him beg." The old lady looked into the silver Volvo and checked Edward out, she then swivelled her head towards Bella and running her eyes over Bella's rounded stomach she said "If I was you I'd take him back because it doesn't strike me that you have many other options." Bella frowned at the little old lady and as she walked away Bella shook her head and muttered "Pft rude much." still trying to ignore Edward and the car but the cold was starting to seep through and she was getting tired, she knew that she was going to have to accept his offer. She stopped walking, turned and crouched down beside the car. "I'm sorry I yelled but what you said was insensitive. I can't just get over it." The look on Edwards face showed that he didn't think he had said anything wrong but that he wasn't going to push it anytime soon. He nodded and she felt no victory as she stood, rounded the car, opened the passenger door and slid inside the warm Volvo.

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><p><strong>yep pregnancy hormones on parade. I have to admit that my poor husband had to put up with crazy mood swings that always ended up with our arguements being his fault lol<strong>

**Ok guys if you're liking it don't forget to leave a review **

**see ya soon**

**xxx**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:- Hey guys don't forget Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight.**

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><p>Edwards' insides celebrated their victory but he was smarter than to show it on the outside, he figured that it was better to pretend like it hadn't happened and just go from there. He switched the heater on hotter and turned the music up a little so that she didn't feel the need to talk, and honestly he didn't want to talk to her when she was in this head space, he figured that if he took her to check out her apartment and see if she could grab anything that might smooth any feathers he had ruffled without thinking. He pulled the car into the traffic and they drove in silence and it was anything but a comfortable silence. He was going to have to ask Emmett about these crazy mood swings he was getting worried that, with everything happening so quickly, something was wrong. They got about a block from her apartment when they were stopped by a road block, the road was cordoned off with barriers and police, and Edward sighed when he noticed how stiff Bella got at the sight of the police this night looked set to only get worse. He stopped the car and wound down the window, waiting for the cop to come over and speak to him.<p>

Bella stared as the police officer walked towards them, she couldn't help herself, and even Edward with his various sex partners sucked in his breath. The woman was gorgeous. Her hair was pulled into a bun and even restrained you could see there was a lot of it. Her skin had the dark tone of someone with Native American blood; her eyes were almond in shape and a deep, almost black, brown. Her lips were pouty and had a shimmer of gloss on them, the only make-up that Bella could see. Her body, even encased in an unflattering police uniform, was stunning; a nice bust, tiny waist, and a very feminine flare of her hips, her legs seemed miles long and Bella felt a weird urge to see her in a pair of sky-high heels and little else, which was strange in and of itself because she had never felt a sexual pull towards women before but there was something about this woman that Bella found inherently sexy and attractive. Bella watched as the officer bent over so she could see into the window and Edward shifted in his seat, she knew the signs of his attraction and a small something died inside of her even though she had just finished her own little fantasy about the officer. The officer spoke and her raspy voice was so sexy that it made Bella squirm in her seat with lust "Evening guys, the roads blocked and we're not letting anyone except residents through." Bella was the first to recover and said "Yeah, hi, um I do live here. Well there, anyway, here is my licence." Bella withdrew her id and handed it to the officer with a shaking hand. The officer smiled and took the id, her hand accidentally brushing Bella's and causing a shiver of lust to run down Bella's spine. The woman's smile died as she noted the address and she said "Ok folks, my name is Constable Emily Call, can you please give me a second to check with my husb…. The detective in charge to see if it's ok for you to cross." She turned and walked a little way away with both Edward and Bella watching her go. She was facing them as she talked on the two-way to her boss and they could see her face clearly. Her eyes went wide and her luscious mouth thinned out and the colour in her cheeks drained as she listened to whoever it was on the other end. Her conversation lasted less than five minutes but for Bella, who really wanted to go and check out the damage to her home, it was forever. When Constable Call came back Bella was fidgeting in her chair from a mixture of desire and desperation, the officer bent again and said "You are allowed through but only with an escort. Please park your vehicle over there and I will escort you to the lead detective." Bella watched Edward nod before he shifted the car into gear and slid it into the parking space she had indicated. He looked at Bella and she felt her desire kick in again and she really wished they hadn't been interrupted. The lust in his eyes was such a turn on and she felt the pooling of moisture between her thighs. She tried to speak but nothing came out, clearing her throat and licking her lips she said "Ed, I'm really sorry about before, I overreacted and I'm sorry. But what I'm really sorry about is being interrupted; I wanna find a quiet place so that you can fuck me until my legs give out. I am so fucking horny right now it really isn't funny."

Edward couldn't believe his ears or his eyes. He had been checking the cop out, what normal guy wouldn't she was fucking hot, and he knew he had been staring. He didn't want Bella getting pissed at him, again, so out of the corner of his eye he looked to see if she had noticed him perving on the cop. He felt his cock twitch inside his pants when he realised that Bella was perving on the cop too; he watched her run her gaze from the top of the chick-cops head to her feet than sweep back up those long legs, pausing to stare at her crotch, before heading up to the tits that were hidden behind the uniform. She squirmed in her seat, clenching her thighs together and whether she knew it or not she let out a tiny moan that almost had Edward coming right there. When the cop came back and told them to park the car and wait for her boss to get there Edward almost screamed in frustration, he wanted to find a room and do all sorts of wicked things to Bella. He manoeuvred the car into the indicated spot and switched off the ignition. He turned to Bella about to ask her if she was ok with walking when her voice sounded in the close interior. "Ed, I'm really sorry about before, I overreacted and I'm sorry. But what I'm really sorry about is being interrupted; I wanna find a quiet place so that you can fuck me until my legs give out. I am so fucking horny right now it really isn't funny." She lent toward him and crushed her mouth against his while running her hand up the inside of his leg. He felt his blood sing and his body jump as she palmed his hard cock through his suit pant. Edward felt his breathing hitch as she continued rubbing, harder and faster, against his straining cock. He tangled his hands in her hair and fiercely attacked her mouth thinking of all the ways he could fuck her if they had the time, he almost came in his pants like a fifteen year old virgin when she unzipped his pants and slipped her hand inside, gripping his hard length and pumping it hard a few times. Sanity returned, barely, in enough time for him to grab her hand and stop her. He pulled her hand off his dick and kissing her hard again said "Bella we have to stop, the officer is waiting on us and I'm pretty sure it's still illegal to have sex in public places." Bella growled low in the back of her throat and said "I wonder if she'd think it was illegal if we asked her to join us, I mean your cock is fucking amazing and I wouldn't mind getting my hands on her tits."

Edward nearly lost his shit right then, he had never heard a woman speak so honestly about wanting another woman and to hear Bella say his cock was 'fucking amazing' almost short circuited his brain. He stopped himself from winding the window down and asking the cop, only just, and said to Bella "Honey as fucking sexy as I find that, I think it's gonna have to wait. It's getting late Bella." On the outside Edward knew he appeared in control and calm, on the inside he was punching himself for cock-blocking what would probably have led to the best sex he had ever had. He watched as she pouted and semi-glared at him from the corner of her gorgeous brown eyes, wetting her lips and crossing her arms under her generous breasts. She sighed, rolled her eyes and said "Yeah I suppose, let's go and find out what I'm gonna be up for." She shot him one last sexy look before getting out of the car

They exited the car and Bella was thankful when Edward came to her side and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer he briefly pressed his hardened flesh against her hip making the wetness between her thighs worse- she figured her panties were probably ruined from the moisture- she sighed and leant back into him. She was rewarded with a grunt of desire but she stopped tormenting him when she spotted a tall man with similar colouring to the female officer walking towards them. He eyed them closely, with one eyebrow raised, as he took in their closeness and the obvious passion in their eyes. He stopped in front of them and held out his hand "Pleased to meet you folks, my name is Detective Embry Call. I was the one who rung you earlier and I apologise for any undue stress my phone call may have caused." As he said this, his eyes dropped to her baby bump and Bella found herself wishing it wasn't as obvious as it was but what could she do? She shook his hand and watched as the female officer, Emily, eyed her with barely concealed jealousy. Bella was taken back, why would this exquisite creature be jealous of her? "It's ok really, I'm sorry I reacted that way. I've had a few exciting weeks and it was just something else that shocked me." The detective nodded, let go of her hand and shook Edwards' saying to him "You're Edward Cullen aren't you?" Bella wasn't really surprised that the detective knew Edward, or of Edward but she felt her mouth drop as Edward nodded and the police man said "Yeah, gotta call from your mother a few weeks ago. Nice woman, said to keep an eye open and an ear to the ground just in case, ah" he consulted his notebook before saying "Jacob Black, turned up." Bella's eyes shot up towards Edwards' and clashed with his green orbs, Esme hadn't said anything about asking the police to look out for them but it made Bella feel a little bit safer knowing the police knew what was happening. The detective continued "Now the problem with tonight, I mean beside the fact that there was a fire, is that the fire started inside your apartment. I'm sorry but there really is nothing left; we thought it was a careless home owner until we found the note stuck to the fire hydrant in front of the building, I can't tell you what the note said but its contents suggested heavily that you were the target of this fire, apparently they knew you weren't here and that suited them fine I guess. We didn't use that hydrant because the fire was mainly in the back and on the side of the apartment. It is typed and there doesn't appear to be any finger prints, there is no signature and no DNA that we have come across. Now before you jump to conclusions" Edward had opened his mouth, a very angry expression on his face, about to shout at the cop "we are aware that Jacob Black will be the number one suspect in this but from what we have, and don't be fooled we have nothing, we can't question him or charge him with anything. He doesn't appear on any security footage and no eye-witnesses. Rest assured we are going to get whoever is behind this, all we ask for is some patience." Bella nodded because there really wasn't anything else she could do about it, the police had their jobs to do and her bitching at them wouldn't help any.

Edward cringed as the cop all but said that someone was after Bella and he knew that Jacob had something to do with it but like the cops he couldn't prove it, all he could do was keep her safe until they had gotten whoever was behind it. He waited for Bella to lose her mind at being told she has nothing left but her meltdown earlier must have helped her because she seemed to remain calm, which he was extremely grateful for. The talked for a while with the detective, it was almost midnight, gave him their whereabouts and made sure that he had their numbers before he said goodnight and allowed them to go. Edward ushered Bella back to his car and waited until they were shut in before saying "Ok honey what do you want to do right now?" he felt himself smile when she leaned across the small space and said "I wanna go back to your apartment, I wanna strip you naked and I wanna make love to you. Do you think you'll be able to handle that?" her smile was wicked and her words were husky but there was a distant tiredness in her eyes that had Edward not fully believing that she would be able to deliver on her offer. "So I take it that you're gonna come stay at my place?" He couldn't quite keep the smugness out of his voice after their argument earlier that night and her insistence that she wouldn't stay with him, she rolled her eyes and said "If that's still ok with you. I know I skitzed out earlier but I do appreciate your offer, as long as the offer is still for the spare room." Edward felt himself choke on his own spit when she said that but her quiet chuckle and the fact that her small hand was running up the inside of his thigh had his heart rate slowing, as he cottoned on to the fact she was kidding, then speeding up as lust kicked in. Edward captured her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing her fingers, before placing it back in her lap; she frowned at him but he just said "I need to concentrate to get us back to my place in one piece and if you keep touching me we wont get there, I'll through you in the back and make love to you like some crazy teenager." She rolled her eyes at him but kept her hands clenched tightly in her lap. They drove for a few minutes in silence until a thought struck Edward, muttering under his breath he cursed before saying out loud "Um, Bella, we're gonna have to let the family know what's happening because if Mum has the cops here looking out for us than it won't take long for it to get back to her."

Bella groaned as Edward spoke but she knew what he said was true. She hated that once again she was going to frighten her father and step-mother but Edward was right. Figuring that Esme would take it better than her Dad, Bella fished her phone out of her bag and dialled Esme's number. The time didn't even facture into her decision because she knew that they would have their asses kicked if they waited. The phone rung three times and in that time Bella had contemplated hanging up ten times but as her step-mums voice came over the line she was grateful that she hadn't hung up. "Hey Esme, it's Bella. Sorry it's so late." She heard Esme clear her throat before she said "No, Isabella, it's fine. What's up honey?" It was at that point that Bella froze, she knew they had to be told but she didn't know how to tell them, it wasn't something she had had to so to somebody before. Bella decided to just dive in, get it all out straight away "I'm with Edward and we were out at diner when we, well I, got a phone call from a Detective Call from Seattle PD." Esme was making humming noises and Bella could almost see her nodding her head and cataloguing everything she was being told, so she continued "There has been a fire at my apartment and apparently it was lit deliberately and stuff. We didn't want you guys to worry when you see it on the news in the morning. I'm fine, the baby is fine, Edward is fine, we are all fine and I've decided to go and stay with Edward until this can get cleared up." She knew that she was rambling but Bella figured screw it at least then everything is out and nothing can come bite her on the ass later on. Esme snorted, in a very un-lady like manner, before saying "God damn idiots don't they listen to what they are told? I fucking said for them to look out for Jacob Black but do they? No. they sit with their thumbs up their asses and this is what happens. Bastards!" Bella pulled the phone away from her ear and stared down at it, her stunned look grabbing Edwards' attention, he cupped the back of her head with his large hands and said "Bella what's the matter?" Bella felt a surprised giggle escape and she whispered "You're mother just said 'fucking' and she is ranting away on the phone here and swearing like a sailor. I, I've never, it just strikes me as funny is all. I've never heard your mother say 'shit' let alone 'fucking' its kinda funny." Edward's laugh was strained and the look he gave her was odd but she could hear her name being called and she put the phone back to her ear. The voice on the other end wasn't Esme's it was her Dad and she felt a weird relief that he was a phone call away. She relayed what she had told Esme, and as she was doing this she could still hear Esme swearing and yelling in the back ground, her Dad seemed calmer than she would have thought but with Esme losing the plot in the background she figured someone had to stay calm.

While Bella spoke on the phone to their parents Edward continued the drive to his apartment, he had just happened to look over at her when she pulled the phone away from her ear; the look on her face was dumb-struck. He had never seen Bella have that look before. He reached out and tangled his fingers in her hair, wanting to touch her, her surprise over Esme's swearing was one he felt as well. His mother prided herself on being a lady and even though she was sheriff she always seemed to get things done without resorting to violence or crude language, so hearing Bella say his mother had said 'fuck' threw Edward because it meant something else was happening and his mother was worried. He filed that thought away so when he was alone he could call his mother and ask her what the deal was. Bella was still on the phone when they reached his apartment and as they drove into the garage Edward was struck with a weird feeling of apprehension; sure Bella knew where he lived but she had never actually been to his apartment and he was kind of worried if she'd like it. Finding his parking space he reversed the car into the spot and switched it off, he waited for Bella to say goodbye and hang up her phone before he said "Ok, here we are. Now, the building has crazy security measures and they take it really seriously but because I've already told them about you, because you have a spare key to my place and you might have used it, and I already filled out your paperwork we'll be ok. In the morning before we leave for work I'll introduce you to the security team and they'll make sure there are no issues. What time do you need to leave in the morning?" He watched her eyes widen as he talked about the security team but thankfully she didn't say anything more about it, she just said "Oh, um, not til like ten. Ange is teaching Jared how to open up the store tomorrow." Edward smiled and was about to speak when she sighed and said "Actually Ange kinda told me that I should have tomorrow off." Her crinkled brow and her rolling eyes spoke volumes and he felt a chuckle escape before he said "She did? Why would she do that?" The scathing look Bella shot him told him that she knew he was just messing with her but an impish light had entered her eyes and when she lowered her eyelashes and glanced up at him through them he almost choked on his laugh and when she spoke her voice was raspy and so sexy "She did that because she figured that I would be to tired after a night of screwing your brains out to get up and go to work."

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><p><strong>Ok just a few things Bella isn't bisexual she just finds the police officer attractive.<strong>

**The crazy mood swings and the over the top sex drive do happen to some women (not all) and it can be tiring for their partners (but I'm sure when it comes to the sex drive they're not complaining lol).**

**Enjoy & don't forget to leave reviews if you're enjoying it :)**


	22. Chapter 22

Her words had the desired effect on Edward, she was kind of sick of talking she wanted to make love to him and he seemed more interested in telling her about the security. She didn't care as long as they were together tonight that was all that mattered. He had turned her on so much, all night she had pretty much had wet panties; that she was pretty sure that it would take one single touch of his hands on her bare skin for her to explode. She opened the car door and got out, leaving Edward sitting in the drivers' seat with a stunned look on his face. She walked around the front of the car and stood staring at him through the windshield and still he hadn't moved. She thought for a brief second that maybe she had broken him, tormenting him as much as he had her all night; maybe the lust had short-circuited his brain. She was feeling brazen enough to test that theory. Lifting her hands up to the sash of her dress she slowly undid the knot that held it together, thanking her trip to Victoria's Secret for her fabulous lingerie set. Edward's head had risen enough that his eyes now met hers through the glass; smiling coyly at him she separated the material of her dress and widening her arms until all that covered her was her underwear. She watched him swallow and laughed as he suddenly sprung into action, looking comical as he struggled to get the car door open so he could get out. She retied the dress as he fought with the door- only doing it so that if they ran into anyone on the way up to his apartment they wouldn't get an eyeful of her pregnant self. Edward finally freed himself from the car; he slammed the door shut and practically ran to her side. The kiss he gave her was nowhere near gentle and it served only to heighten her on arousal. He whimpered against her mouth "Why did you cover up?" she moaned deeply in the back of her throat as his teeth crazed her earlobe and said "I don't want anyone else seeing me naked." And she didn't, she wasn't ashamed of her body it was just that since in changed she hadn't let anyone see her naked- even her doctor hadn't seen her naked.

Her hot moan against his throat and her quiet words had him losing control. He grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the elevator, he slid his card through the slot and the doors swished open silently, he was thankful that when the key to the penthouse is activated that the elevator becomes private and will not stop at any other floors. This meant they had the elevator to themselves, nobody could interrupt them. The second the doors closed her pushed her against the mirrored wall of the elevator and, hitching one of her legs over his hip, ground his arousal against her. He wanted to see her body again, the sight of her alabaster skin when she had flashed him in the garage was burned into his brain, and Bella was beyond perfect. The first time he had seen her naked Edward had thought he had died and gone to heaven, her skin was flawless and her entire body was toned and perfect. Her breasts were beautiful and when he had tasted her, she was delicious. But seeing her pale skin offset by the deep plum of her dress and the black of her bra and panties was surreal. Her breast were amazing, they had gotten bigger with her pregnancy and he wasn't complaining, her stomach was rounded and curved outwards, her legs still threw him- so long and slender but he knew the strength in them. Her black lace bra and panty set almost had him disgracing himself without even touching her; the bra pushed up her generous breast, thrusting them heavenward, and her panties. Sheesh he had never thought he'd find panties overly attractive but these were beyond sexy, barely there little scraps of fabric that allowed her ass cheeks to hang out, they covered enough that they were decent but the things they were doing to him were indecent.

She wriggled against him and he couldn't stop himself. He reached down to the side of her dress and with a flick of his wrist he untied the sash of her dress, he palmed it open and dropping his head nuzzled against the swell of her breasts above her bra. Bella dropped her head back against the wall of the elevator and gave him unimpeded access to her body. Edward bucked hard against her making her head thrash. He lifted a hand, and cupping her jaw, and held her head still; pinning her in place with the lower half of his body he ran his other hand from her collar bone down the centre of her chest, his fingers grazing her nipples through the lace of her bra, his hand continued down her chest and gently over the swell of their baby before dipping inside her lace panties. Edward felt as if his heart would break out of his chest as he slid his fingers through her moist folds and inside her body, as she bucked against his hand he fought to control his lust. Bella started whimpering and her legs jerked as his fingers continued their onslaught, when he flicked his thumb over her clit she screamed as her body convulsed and her orgasm ripped through her.

Bella's breath shuddered as she came down from her orgasmic high, she had know the second he had shadowed his hand down her body that she was in for the an amazing experience. She raised her head from where it rested against the mirror and looked down into Edward's face as he looked up into her face and smiled lazily and she felt heat begin to sizzle through her body again. She raised her arms and tangled her hands into his hair, dragging his head up so his mouth was level with hers. Edward moaned into her mouth as she snuck out her tongue and wrapped it around his. She could feel his erection pressing against her pussy and she wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes from his body and have him bury himself inside her. The sound of the elevator doors opening had her jumping, causing her head to bang against the wall, she grunted "Ow, fuck, man that fucking hurt." She slammed her eyes closed and letting go of Edwards' shoulders she lifted her hand and rubbed her head. Edward cupped her head and she opened her eyes, the concerned look on his face mingling with the lust there had Bella sighing. "Bella, baby, are you ok?" He released her and guided her out of the elevator; she laughed and said "Yeah I'm fine it's just that I was so wrapped up with you that when the door opened it startled me." He dragged her back to his side and guided her through the open door and into his apartment. It was the first time she had seen Edwards' place and she couldn't help the exclamation that slipped passed her lips. His apartment was spectacular, it was all glass and chrome and steel. It was open and sparsely furnished, the colour scheme was creams and whites and there were gorgeous paintings on the walls. What she could see of the apartment was beautiful but sterile and impersonal, there were no photos that she could see and there was no mess, nothing at all was out of place and everything shone in low light; she was extremely tempted to go and run through the apartment and mess shit up. But she didn't get the opportunity because the second Edward had closed the door and slid the locks into place she was in his arms and his mouth was on hers.

She tasted like heaven; the dark chocolate and strawberries she had had for dessert flavoured her mouth and drove him wilder. Edward couldn't control his hunger any more; he dropped his keys on the table beside the door and in one movement jammed her against the nearest wall. He thrust his tongue into her mouth again, trying to convey to her how urgent his need for her was and her response was everything he could've wanted. She growled her need into his mouth and her tongue duelled with his. Edward grabbed her legs and lifted them around his waist, nestling himself closer to her warmth. She whimpered with desire and Edward could feel his cock twitching at the sound and as much as he liked the panties she had on they were in the way. Trailing his hands over her body he hesitated slightly when they reached the hem of her panties but her mewling drove him on, he hooked his fingers around the elastic and tore the lacy panties from her body. Her exclamation of dismay stopped him. "Aw damn it Ed, honestly." She panted, licking his neck and making him buck his hips against her "I just brought those, I really liked them." She squirmed as he sucked her suddenly exposed nipple into his mouth. He released her nipple, much to her dismay, and looked up into her face before palming her now naked sex, inserting two fingers inside her, he said "I will buy you a thousand more pairs of fucking panties but, and maybe I'm being selfish here, I'd love you not to wear any. It's almost a crime to hide a pussy as gorgeous as yours."

His words were driving her crazy; she couldn't stop herself from clenching her inner muscles around his fingers. His eyes slid closed as she clenched his fingers again. His cock pressed against her thigh and she really wanted him inside her. "Please, Edward, please take me to your room and make love to me!" She didn't care that she sounded needy or desperate she just wanted him inside of her and it seemed like it had been forever since they had made love. She felt the wetness pool around his fingers as he curled them and pressed against her g-spot. She whimpered in need when he slid his fingers from within her and he disentangled himself from her hold. Bella stood there blinking up at him her legs quaking as they tried to hold her up while her desire raced rampantly through her.

Edward could see the desire in her eyes and taking his fingers from within her was the hardest thing he had ever done and his cock was so hard that it was painful. He lifted his hand and held out his palm, her crinkled brow was the only indication that she wasn't completely sure of where he was going with it but she placed her small hand in his trustingly. He turned his back and towing her after him walked down a short hall and stopped outside the end door, it stood slightly ajar but in the dim light he knew she couldn't see anything. He liked his house, had helped design the building and his company had built it but he wanted her to like it also. He reached out a hand and pushed the door open before flicking the light on, thankful that he had installed the dimmer, so soft warm light flowed through out the room. He quickly sent a mental thanks to his cleaning crew who came every second day so his house stayed clean and there was nothing out of place that might gross Bella out. He turned so he could see her reaction to his bedroom. He had given Alice free reign to design his bedroom and he had to say that his sister-in-law had done a fantastic job.

Bella's eyes took a fraction of a second to get used to the light that suddenly lit the room but the second her eyes adjusted she fell in love. Edward's bedroom was amazing, there was no other word to describe it, and it was all him. The room was all dark woods and deep colours. The giant four poster bed was raised on a platform which brought the mattress to around the height of her waist. The posts were intricately carved and almost reached the ceiling, the hangings were a deep golden colour and they were drawn and held back with a lighter golden cord. There was a bedside table on either side of the bed, made of the same dark wood as the bed and both were just as intricately carved. The pale wooden floors gleamed in the muted light and Bella couldn't help but gasp at the beauty of the room before her. There was a giant flat screen TV hanging on the wall facing the bed and another doorway lead to what Bella assumed was and en-suite but what drew her attention was the opening directly in front of her. She walked away from Edward and towards the opening, her hands trembled as she drew closer to her destination and when she confirmed her suspicion of what it was she spun towards Edward with a hand held against her chest and squeaked "Fuck me Edward you have a closet the size of most peoples bedrooms. I love it!" She heard Edward chuckle as she ran a reverent hand over the doorway of the closet just one more time before heading back to Edward. She suddenly felt shy but she didn't know why. She stopped in front of him and said "Your bedroom is fucking amazing Ed." She watched the smile spread over his face and suddenly she realised that he had been waiting for her approval and his apprehension over her reaction suddenly made her shyness dissipate and her body was awash with eagerness and desperate desire. She stepped even closer to Edward and spoke softly, the husky tone of her voice even surprised her, "So, Mr Cullen. Now that you have me, finally, in your bedroom. What would you like to do to me?"


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N Hey guys sorry for the random updates. I was having writers block :( but hopefully it's gone now.**

**Don't forget I own nothing in the Twilight universe the only thing I can lay claim to is the plot.**

**Enjoy :)**

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><p>Edward felt himself harden even more, if that was possible, at her words. He really wanted to make love to her and the husky tone of her voice was doing nasty things to his libido. He swallowed hard and said "I don't know Miss Swan there are so many things I want to do to that delectable body that I don't know where to start." He heard her breathing hitch and as her pupils dilated she ran her soft pink tongue over her bottom lip. Edward couldn't help himself, he leant down and swiped his tongue across the path hers had just travelled; she trembled as his arms wrapped around her and he couldn't stop the moan that erupted from his throat. Bella lifted her eyes and looked up at him through her eyelashes and Edward almost came right there, when her mouth opened and her sweet voice whispered through his ear reaching deeply down inside and caressing his heart "You have no idea how many things I have imagined you doing to me over the last few months Edward." Her words had him jamming his hands into her hair and ravishing her mouth she sobbed and gripped his head pulling him closer.<p>

Bella heard herself sob but she couldn't help it, she wanted him and she wanted him badly, she could feel how wet her panties were. She pulled him closer before pushing his head away, breaking the seal of their lips. He cursed softly at the broken contact and she lightly traced a finger down the side of his face she sighed and said pleadingly and in a slightly questioning tone "Edward", she watched as he tried to focus his lustful gaze onto her. "Yes, Isabella?" and the way he said her name had her moaning in the back of her throat before she said "If I ask you something will you promise to consider it before saying no?" His gorgeous green eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened before he said "Um, depending on what it is, I will think about it." She sighed and whispered "Would you please bend me over the side of that bed and fuck me until my legs give out?"

Edward stood staring at her with his mouth wide open, he snapped it shut but when he tried to speak again his mouth just fell open without a sound. Bella stood watching him silently as he tried to get his shit together, he had never had a woman ask him to fuck them over the side of his bed, or any bed for that matter, and the idea of doing Bella that way was almost disabling. The look on her face had changed from excitement at the prospect when she had first asked to embarrassment that she had asked and the way her eyes darted away from his and she had kind of retreated within herself had his mind snapping out of his stupor. He reached for her but she stepped away, he followed snagging her wrist and pulling her closer. He cleared his throat and when he spoke the husky sound shuddered from his body "Yes, oh god Bella please, yes."

It was as if his words were a shot gun and they started tearing at each other, clothing was discarded and their bodies tangled together in a mash of limbs. Edward ran a slim-fingered hand down Bella's body and into her panties, Bella whimpered at the contact and the second his forefinger slid between her wet slit she bucked against his hand and cried out, his thumb caressed her clit and she cried out again. He pulled back slightly and withdrew his hand from her moist centre; she gripped his shoulders and held on as he divested her of her underwear, she sighed as his hands touched her legs. He had dropped to his knees to take the panties from her ankles. He looked up and his eyes met her pussy and he couldn't stop himself, gripping her ass in both hands he buried his face into her. He felt her legs give way but he continued nuzzling her, he flicked out his tongue and licked her clit. She shattered under his touch and the sound of her coming was almost feral. He stood with almost inhuman speed pushing her against the edge of his bed, he couldn't control his hands as they caressed and teased her body and her moans only drove him on. Edward nudged the back of her thighs with his knee and she growled as he positioned his cock at her entrance and pressed forward into her slowly and gently, suddenly conscious of the fact that the woman he was making love to was pregnant with his child. He forced his touches to become gentle and loving but the second her got control of himself she looked over her shoulder at him and said "I don't remember asking for gentle Edward. I want fast, furious, fucking." She jammed her ass against his hips and forcefully ramming his cock home inside her. A high keening sound came from her as he buried himself to the hilt within her and it froze him to the core, he tried to withdraw but she followed his movements and when he continued she snapped at him "Stop trying to escape from me Edward, it's not going to happen."

Edward dropped his head between her shoulder blades and breathing in her scent tried to control his breathing. Every instinct was screaming for him to withdraw from her and just hold her but the part of his brain ruled by lust, and let's face it that part was becoming bigger and louder, was screaming for him to grab hold of her and do exactly what she had asked of him. The decision was taken from him when he shifted his feet, preparing to pull out, and she sighed, dropping a hand between her thighs and rubbing her clit. Seeing Bella touching herself was enough to send his over loaded brain on the fritz and the rest, as they say, is history. Gripping her hips tightly in his hands he pounded into her, over and over again, faster and faster as if there was nothing more he wanted than to merge their bodies at that time. He couldn't tell her cries from his and all he knew was he could feel her orgasm building and he wanted to give her one that would shatter her soul. Lifting one hand from her hip he buried it in her thick hair and tugged gently, bringing her body into a position that had him hitting her G-spot with enough force that two thrusts later she was screaming his name and whimpering with desire. Seeing her come had him exploding within her, his energy spent. Edward gathered her into his arms and climbing onto the bed they lay there in silence, their breathing loud in the quiet room, as they both came down from a massive high.

As she lay next to Edward, Bella considered everything she had ever known about sex. Nothing with Edward was passive or uninteresting. She could barely focus on breathing let alone plan meals like she had with Jacob, she wouldn't say that to Edward because she knew that bringing up Jacob would be a stupid thing to do but she needed to know. She rolled on her side to face him, his eyes were closed and he wore a look of utter relaxation and satisfaction, and running a finger down the side of his face she said "Is it always like this?" Edward opened one eye and said "No. I have never experienced this before. Was it like this with Jacob?" Bella snorted before she could stop herself and seeing his raised eyebrow she knew she had to explain herself. Sighing she flipped onto her back and stared at the intricate plaster patterns on the roof before saying "No. It was never like this with Jake and I never thought it could've been. Mostly he was quick and rough and only interested in getting himself off. I had never had an orgasm until the night we first had sex." She could see the look of utter horror on his face and turned her face away from him. His gentle, but persistent, fingers had her looking at him before he spoke "That is the most selfish thing I have ever heard but I am glad that I was able to give you your very first orgasm." He leant over her and kissed her lips saying "Let's hope there are thousands more where it came from." He waggled his eyebrows lewdly with her favourite lopsided smile gracing his gorgeous mouth; she slapped a hand gently against his chest but didn't say anything just rolled her eyes.

Edward felt extremely cocky that it had been him and nobody else that had made this gorgeous woman scream with pleasure but he hated that her passion had been oppressed. He snuggled closer and buried his nose into her hair and dropped his other hand so that it lay over the protruding bump, rubbing in slow circles over their unborn child. "Hey Bella?" he whispered into her hair, she murmured and he said "Will you marry me?"

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><p><strong>What the hell is Edward thinking? <strong>

**Let me know if you think it's a good idea for them to get married or not.**

**In the next chapter a blast from Edward's past drops a bombshell that may have you changing your minds;)**

**Thanks guys**

**Cherie**


	24. Chapter 24

**Ok so don't forget I don't own anything Twilighty but I do own the story line.**

**I wanna thank all those who have reviewed and I am blown away that you like it :)**

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><p>"Bella? Bella?" Edward gently shook her shoulder when his question went ignored; he was kicking himself for letting the words slip passed his lips. Sure he meant it and he wanted to marry her but he sure as hell hadn't thought about asking her right after making love to her. He had a whole plan mapped out and popping that question at that particular time wasn't part of the plan. Even Edward shaking her shoulder wasn't eliciting a response; pulling away from her he looked down and saw that her eyes were closed and that her luscious mouth was hanging open slightly and small snores were coming from her sleeping form. Taking a massive breath he felt relief flood through him that she was asleep and hadn't heard his question. It gave him more time to work on getting her to accept him into her daily life as a friend and a lover because she was so fiercely independent and he knew that if he asked her to marry him in the wrong way she would just think he felt like he had to ask her not that he wanted to ask her. Slipping back down beside her and pulling her closer he let his eyes close and he concentrated on her deep even breathing to lull him into a deep sleep.<p>

The brilliant sun and a full bladder woke Bella the next morning but there was a nagging thought, hanging just out of reach, that something major had happened the night before but other than mind numbing sex she couldn't remember anything. Shaking her head she climbed out of Edward's massive bed and padded barefoot into the en-suite. It was in there that she realised that Edward was no longer in the bed where she had thought she had left him, his dirty clothes were in the hamper and a wet towel hung over the towel rack. She finished in the bathroom and went back into the bedroom; he wasn't in the bed she had just vacated so she went looking for him.

In the light she could see more of the place Edward called home and she held to her first thoughts last night; the apartment was gorgeous but sterile and barely looked lived in. She wandered around the living area touching the small pieces of art that hung on the walls and running her fingers over the soft leather of the couch that faced a gigantic flat screen TV. She jumped when a ringing started from behind her. Chuckling softly she picked up the phone "Hello?" she laughed into the receiver but as the unknown female voice sounded over the line she felt her heart contract "Yeah, um, hi. I was looking for Edward Cullen." Bella could feel her blood pressure rising and jealousy eating away at the lining of her stomach but she forced her voice to remain calm "Oh, Edward isn't home at the moment. Can I take a message?" The woman audibly sighed; Bella could almost see her closing her eyes and sighing, before saying "Yeah sure you can take a message. Can you please get him to call Irina immediately, it's important. Thanks." And she hung up leaving Bella staring at the receiver with an open mouth and the dial tone sounding in her ear. She put the phone down and as she did that she realised the woman hadn't given her a number for Edward to call her back on which meant that Edward knew this woman well enough to have her number and she wasn't sure how that sat with her. Before she could really dwell on her feelings the front door opened and Edward strode through it and Bella felt her heart stutter at the sight of him. Business Edward she was used to, she was also used to (as much as it was possible with someone so handsome) dressed up Edward but casual Edward was another sight all together. He had on a pair of worn and faded denim jeans and a pale blue polo with the collar turned up, he had a soft leather jacket on over the top and his feet were in runners. The second he seen her a thousand watt smile lit up his features and Bella felt an answering one tug at her own mouth. He was carrying a paper bag in one hand and in the other he carried two cups of hot coffee. The smell of coffee and hot croissants wafted through the living area and Bella felt her stomach growl. She stood her ground and waited for him to come to her, which he did, dropping a kiss on her forehead before putting his packages on the table behind where she stood. He turned back to her and she had an irrational idea of hiding the fact that he had received a call while he had been out but his relaxed smile and husky "Good morning Bella." had her feeling bad and she said "Hey, um, you got a call while you were gone." And by the dwindling smile in his eyes she knew that it hadn't been the greeting he had hoped for but she wanted the churning feeling in her stomach gone. "Really, from who?" his voice was soft but she could hear the small tinge of hurt at her reaction in his words but she ignored it and said "Oh a woman named Irina." She dropped her eyes as she spoke but watched his reaction through her eyelashes and for a second he seemed completely flummoxed over the name but it barely lasted three seconds before a dawning look of recognition and horror swept over his features; she figured that gave her the answer as to how Edward knew the woman on the phone, he had slept with her. He cleared his throat and said "Oh really. Um, did she say what it was that she wanted?" Bella knew she wasn't imagining the higher pitch of his voice nor the slight greenish tinge to his skin tone, she really wanted to find out what it was that made him so nervous about this woman so she lifted her face and stared him in the eyes saying "You. She wants you to call her, it's important. That was all she said before she hung up on me."

Edward shuddered as Bella said Irina's name. She had been the worst mistake Edward could have made and now months later she was calling him, out of the blue and right when he had finally gotten Bella where he wanted her, in his house and in his bed. He cleared his throat again nervously and he knew by the slight rise in Bella's eyebrow that the noise wasn't going unnoticed. He shrugged his shoulders and said "Well we should eat while the croissants are still warm and the coffee is hot, than I'll call her and figure out what is so damn important that she had to call me now." He knew his words were sharp but he was worried what kind of problems Irina could cause him now and what he could lose if she was allowed to work her evil. He ushered Bella into a seat and handed her a flaky pastry and a cup of decaf before sitting down next to her and making absolute shit small talk. They talked about the apartment, about work, about everything that was unimportant just so they could pass the time.

They had finished their breakfast when the phone rung again, he almost jumped out of his seat to get to it, even though Bella hadn't moved to get it. "Hello?" he could hear the slightly breathless tone in his voice and he hated it but he was so panicked about what she was going to say. He didn't have to wait long before her venom was spewing down the phone "Well about time you answered my fucking calls. I've been leaving messages for months for you to call me back and then this morning so fucking whore answers you phone as though she fucking lives there. How fucking dare you ignore me Edward, I told you that we weren't finished and I fucking meant it." Edward flinched when she called Bella a whore but her diatribe had his emotionless business side taking over and he said "Irina I told you six months ago that I wanted nothing more to do with you and if the countless unreturned messages didn't get through to you than I don't know what will. I tried being honest and upfront with you, I tried being sweet and polite but I guess rude and mean is the only way to get through to you. I want nothing to do with you! You were nothing to me except a fuck and if you call back I will have you brought up on charges of harassment and stalking. Goodbye!" He was pulling the phone from his ear when her calm voice made his veins run ice-cold, he could hear the smugness in her tone as she said "If you dare hang up this phone than I will go to the nearest tabloid and blab about the nights we spent together, about the things you did to my body, about how you called out 'Bella' while we fucked. Oh and another thing if you insist on hanging up than I will show them the tapes, didn't know I taped us did you Eddie, and maybe they'll be interested to know that millionaire Edward Cullen is the father of my unborn son."

Edward felt the world spin as she flung her words down the line to him; his brain went instantly blank and he couldn't think and he felt his eyes search immediately for Bella who was sitting on the lounge across the room, rubbing a loving hand over their unborn child, while watching him with a concerned look on her face. He forced himself to smile at her before saying into the phone "I don't believe you Irina." Her acidic laugh said she didn't think he would have but her saccharine voice whispered "I don't give a flying fuck what you believe. I have the proof and I have spoken to a lawyer and he has said that it is about time that you pay up. You have two hours to decide how you want to do this before I call the tabloids. Goodbye Eddie."

Bella sat watching Edward as he spoke on the phone his unease and stress was almost palpable and she wanted nothing better than to help him through it but she didn't know how. The fact that he had said goodbye to that woman, before they had gotten together, made her anger lessen but her jealousy was still raging high. She didn't know what she expected she knew he was a playboy, had know it the entire time they had known one another but for some strange reason she had never really thought about it; aside from making snide remarks about the revolving door to his bedroom when talking to Angela about Edward (before the had slept together) she had tried to ignore the constant flux of women that he surrounded himself with. She shifted slightly as the baby completed a vicious tumble and she rubbed soothing circles over her stomach as she longed to do to Edward's back to help relieve his tension, he looked on the verge of passing out. She watched as he woodenly put the phone on the table before stumbling into the seat facing her. She couldn't help herself she leant forward and touched his arm gently; he flinched as if she had burnt him. His reaction hurt but she wanted to know what the matter was, so she tried again, placing gentle touches along his arm and slowly moving toward him "Edward, hey, what's the matter? Please Edward talk to me I'm getting worried here." She could tell that she wasn't getting through to him so she moved to sit next to him and when he scooted back from her the temper she had been trying to control peaked and she barked "What the hell is happening Edward? If you don't say something I'm gonna get up and leave." His head snapped up so quickly she was worried that he would hurt himself. He wrapped tight fingers around her arms and pleaded "Bella, no don't leave. I couldn't handle it and I know you will go if I tell you. But I can't you know not tell you. It's just that I don't know." She nodded her head and said "Ok Edward, I won't leave just please tell me what is going on."

Edward felt his body shudder at the thought of having to tell Bella what was happening but he knew that she would leave if he wasn't open with her, so he sucked in a deep almost calming breath and said "Bella it's a long story and I know that you're not going to like the majority of it but I would really like it if you let me finish before leaving." Her narrowed gaze was the only indication that she had already figured out that she wasn't going to like what he had to say so he just decided to put it all out there and let the chips fall where they may. "Ok, eight months ago I was seeing this woman. Her name is Irina and we had a sexual relationship, nothing more than that but she wanted more. I knew I couldn't give that to her because of you but she ignored every warning and pushed for a relationship. We had sex, protected sex, all of a dozen times before I couldn't take it any more and broke up with her. She continued to call me and eventually I just started to ignore her calls and texts; until you answered her call today. Irina is pissed that I've moved on and she… she said something that, Bella it's not good. She reckons that she's pregnant, that the baby is mine, and she is threatening to go to the tabloids if I don't meet with her in the next two hours." Edward's words dried up and he sat looking at Bella, pleading with her to understand, he needed her to understand "Please Bella, please understand. There is no way that her child is mine. We used protection. I swear to God that I was careful, have always been careful until you. Please, I need you to believe me." The horrified look on Bella's face was to be expected but the devastated look in her eyes drove a stake through his heart, her hands dropped from his shoulders and she scooted away from him. She shook her head and opened and shut her mouth several times before saying "She's pregnant?" Edward watched her warily waiting for some sign she was about to lose her temper but he nodded anyway. She sighed deeply before just getting up from the sofa and walking away. Her reaction stunned him and Edward watched her walk away.

She didn't want to walk away from Edward but she needed space to try and think. The fact that this Irina person was claiming her child was Edwards was mind blowing and changed pretty much everything. What would happen to them if it turned out Irina was telling the truth, she didn't know if she could handle knowing that she had a part of Edward. Bella felt a stomach turning hatred for the woman she had never met, who used their child as a pawn in some weirdo game? What kind of a woman dangled her child for money or the five minutes of fame that came with tabloids. She knew; that no matter the situation she couldn't, no wouldn't, do that to her unborn child. Edward wasn't blameless in all this, she knew he knew better, and if he was to be believed, and she tended to believe him, he had used protection but nothing is 100 percent foolproof (she should know) but what the hell. How were they to proceed from here, should Edward go and meet with her? Should they just call the police and have them intercede? Or did they just ignore her and deal with the fall out? As she dwelt on the questions she came to the conclusion that she would go with Edward to meet this woman and they would show a united front and deal with whatever Irina threw at them. She walked back into the lounge and stared at the back of Edwards' bowed head; her shock still hadn't worn off and she wasn't sure that it would any time soon but his devastation and his shock far outweighed her own.

An all consuming silence, a deafening, smothering silence engulfed him when Bella got up and walked away. His life stopped the second she stopped touching him and when she had spoken her words were sharp and piercing and the only thing he wanted to do was cover his ears with his hands and just shake his head backwards and forwards to dispel her voice. He couldn't deal with the pain he caused her nor the disappointment he was positive he'd see in her brown eyes. He practically jumped out of his skin when the lounge dipped as someone sat beside him; he tried focusing his gaze on the sad woman beside him. Bella sat just out of arms reach and when she spoke her words were hard and rushed like she didn't want to say them but she had to. "I want to go with you. Edward, you need to know if what she is saying is the truth and the last thing anyone needs is her spreading gossip for the world to devour." The second she voiced her request he started shaking his head in denial "No Bella, no, I can't take you with me. I don't want to get you mixed up in this and Irina is crazy I don't want her to hurt you." He couldn't stop the flinch of his body when she suddenly stood up, placing her hands on her hips said "Listen to me Edward Anthony Cullen, we are in this together and while I admit I am pissed I will not, I repeat not, stand by and allow this to happen without me." He sat stunned and she just checked her watch and said "We have a little over an hour and a half; it takes twenty minutes to get there. Do you think Garret can make it there in that amount of time, I mean I know that he isn't your lawyer but you should have someone there that has legal background." Edward felt like a complete tool for not even thinking about legal representation and the second she said that she thought Garret should be there he reached for his phone and dialled Garrets number. Garret's secretary answered the phone and under normal circumstances Edward would've engaged her in pleasant banter but today just wasn't going to be one of those days "Janet, please put me through to Garret." He heard her huff in surprise but her voice remained pleasant as she said "I'm sorry Mr Cullen but Garret is in a meeting and has asked to not be disturbed." The anger that had been masked by his anxiety burst through and he yelled "I don't give a flying fuck if Garret is in a meeting or fucking Kate, I want him on the phone right now, Janet." She stuttered and mumbled but the sound of her switching the phone to hold sounded down the line. Barely three seconds later and Garret's voice snapped through his ears "What the fuck Edward? Poor Janet is practically sobbing in the other room, what did you say to her?"

Within the time limit Irina had given them they had assembled legal representation (in the form of Garret), emotional support (in the form of Kate and Bella) and they were all geared up for something but they, none of them, had any idea what they were gearing up for. They had decided that Bella and Kate would sit at the table nearest them, within hearing distance, but without it being to obvious that they were with Garret and Edward who would be sitting at a table waiting for Irina. They got to the diner ten minutes before the time Irina had given them, and they waited and waited. For almost thirty minutes they waited until Edward saw Irina crossing the road and heading in there direction. Indicating with his head he muttered "Here she comes." to Garret who straightened his tie and sat up in his chair. Edward dragged in a calming breath and shot a glance at Bella who was being comforted by Kate, who was rubbing small circles on Bella's shoulder, and the second he alerted them to Irina's imminent arrival her head shot up and she watched the statuesque blonde walk closer.

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><p><strong>Oookaay the next chapter will be written from Irina's POV and I think it might be 1st person (hopefully) depending on how it comes across.<strong>

**Don't forget to review, thanks again**

**Cherie**

**xxx**


	25. Chapter 25

**Ok this is written in the 1st person from Irina's POV**

**It's only short but she's in the story now ;) as crazy as she is.**

**Remember I own only the story line & not the Twilighty parts. Enjoy**

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><p>I didn't feel nervous as I crossed the street to the diner I had picked for this meeting. I wasn't even surprised that Edward had brought a lawyer with him, hell I think I would've been disappointed if he hadn't, this meant he was taking it seriously. I saw the way his crystal clear gaze shot around the crowded diner, probably to make sure no one he knew was there so it couldn't be leaked. Fucking idiot, seriously, he probably thought that if he did what I wanted than I'd go away but I wasn't going anywhere. I wanted him and I was going to get him. Edward inclined his head towards the monstrous man beside him and the giants face turned towards me. He was an attractive man but I only had eyes for the tussle headed bronze god beside him. I remember the first time I had met Edward and the surge of lust I had felt for him hit me again. We had been introduced by a friend of a friend of a friend and we hit it off straight away and within an hour we were in a toilet stall fucking our brains out. The second his magnificent penis buried itself within me I knew this man was the one for me, of course I guess the drugs I had been on might have clouded that night for me and made it seem more than what it was. We saw one another frequently over the following six weeks and the sex never dulled it got a little strange when he wanted to call me 'Bella' while we were having sex but I enjoyed roll playing and it wasn't the craziest thing a man had asked of me while we had been seeing one another; than all of a sudden it stopped, without warning everything stopped.<p>

The anger I had felt at his dismissal had me straightening my spine and dragging in a very deep breath. He needed to pay for the way he treated me and I knew just the way to get what I wanted. I felt a kick in my abdomen and sent a hateful thought to the parasite that was destroying my figure while making me continually sick, I hated being pregnant and I hated children in general but if it meant that I had a permanent hold over Edward. I only had three months left of putting up with the inability to get comfortable, the vomiting, the swollen feet and the general fatness of this fucking kid. I had found out I was pregnant the day that Edward started to ignore me and the hatred had just intensified. Of course it hadn't stopped me from living my life the way I wanted, I still smoked, drank, and did the occasional hit of coke. I wasn't stopping my entire life for something I had never wanted.

I deliberately plastered a wide smile onto my perfectly made up mouth and pulled out the only spare seat at their table. I saw a blonde and a brunette, at the table closest to us; look over before restarting their conversation. They weren't pretty so I dismissed their casual interest as curiosity and quickly forgot about them. Edward's eyes had followed my progress as I had crossed the courtyard, his green orbs widening as they took in the size of my stomach and I finally found a reason to like the gigantic bump. I cleared my throat and said "So boys where do we go from here?" Edward opened and closed his beautiful mouth several times before my impatience got the best of me "Okay, this is how it's gonna go. I want one million dollars transferred into my account within three days and only then will I sign a gag order to make sure I can't legally say anything." I waited with one eyebrow cocked as they blinked stupidly at one another before the giant of a man leant close to Edward and whispered into his ear. The startled look on Edwards' face said that what ever the other man had just said had surprised him. Edward sucked in a deep breath before saying "Irina, when is the baby due?" His soft voice caressed my skin and made me shiver in response; I took it as a good sign that he was interested in the kid, so I said "According to the doctor I am due the end of February beginning of March." The quick calculation he did and the sinking realisation that I wasn't lying; played itself out over his handsome face. I was glad now that my doctor insisted on getting an amniocentesis and that when Edward insisted on having a DNA test done that I would have everything he needed already in hand. My lawyer was one sneaky little bastard and I was glad that he worked for me. The mountain of a man beside Edward said "Miss Jenks we're going to insist on a DNA test and then we'll negotiate where we go from there." I snorted and snapped "I am not dealing with you. This is between Edward and I, I will only deal with him." I knew I'd get what I wanted because Edward had never taken his eyes off my stomach and I watched them widen as a particularly vicious kick made my stomach stretch and jump. His fingers opened and closed spasmodically as if he wanted to touch and I couldn't contain the smile that broke over my face. Edward gulped before saying "I will not deal with you alone, Irina. Garret here is my legal council and I will be discussing everything through him. I agreed to this meeting to ascertain if you were actually telling the truth and until we get the results of the DNA test I want nothing to do with you. If the DNA test comes back that the child _is_ mine than, and only than, will I speak to you again."

The fury that swept through my body was intense and immediate. My squeal of rage had the other diners' looking in our direction but I didn't care. I stood up and, resting my hands on the table, I leant across it and yelled in his face "You have to speak to me! I am the mother of your child and I demand respect. You should do the right thing and we should be together and raise this kid right. I really don't care about the money if you do the right thing I won't tell anyone anything, I promise." I could see my advantage slipping, I hated begging, and I wanted to regain the upper hand but I really didn't know how to do that. The other man, Garret, spoke softly and said "I think you should sit down Miss Jenks and try and control yourself." His condescending tone had me snarling "Fuck you; you stupid piece of shit. I don't have to calm down and I have already said I will only talk to Edward." I sat back in the seat and I could feel the panic as I watched Edward rub tiredly at his eyes. I didn't want to hurt him, I loved him, and I could tell this was stressing him out. I stood up from the table and sighed resignedly "I'll text you the details of the doctors where you can get the baby's DNA tested and compared to yours." I reached out a hand and cupped Edward's stubbled jaw saying "I never meant to hurt you, well not really. I wanted to punish you for hurting me but I never really meant to, you know, let it go this far. I figured you'd demand the DNA test and then tell me to get the hell out of your life; that's why I said I'd go to the papers because I knew you'd agree to see me." I turned and walked away from the table without looking back. I needed a drink and a hit, fuck the consequences.

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><p><strong>So do we hate Irina? <strong>

**Review if you like it**

**Cherie**

**xx**


	26. Chapter 26

**Don't forget I own only the story plot, everything else belongs to the wonderful mind of Stephanie Meyer :) Have we all seen Breaking Dawn Pt 1 yet? :0 how good is it :)**

**Hey guys sorry for the time between uploads, hopefully you're still with me. Only a shortish chapter today.**

**Next chapter will jump forward a little**

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><p>The second Irina had gotten across the street Edward was out of his chair and rushing towards Bella. "Oh my God Bella I'm so sorry, she is delusional if she thinks she has the slightest chance with me." He watched Bella swallow before she whispered "Edward that woman is a drug addict. Is she, was she, did she do drugs while with you? Did you do drugs Edward?" He felt the surprise at her words but it pinged something deep within his soul and little things he hadn't paid close attention to slid into place. "Jesus Christ, she is a drug addict. No, no Bella I didn't, I haven't and I won't, do drugs with her. Garret what do we do about this?" Edward's eyes weren't the only eyes that swivelled towards Garret who hadn't left the table. Garret wore a stunned look on his face but when he realised that the others needed an answer he said "I don't know, I mean, technically we have no proof that she is a drug addict and until we ascertain if that baby is yours Edward I don't think we should open that can of worms." Edward felt the hairs on his arms rise at the hissing noises both Bella and Kate were making. Both women were shooting daggers at Garret and Edward was at a loss to understand why until Kate growled "What about the baby she is carrying? That child is innocent and the shit she is doing to her body is harming that baby, he or she is taking in whatever it is that she is ingesting and it could do the greatest harm." Edward heard his own voice without realising he had made the choice to speak "He, the baby is a he. She told me that over the phone." As he said the words Edward felt warmth spreading through his body; even though Irina was a drug user the child she carried might be his and he couldn't help but wonder what it would look like and other random things, the same random things he had thought about his and Bella's baby. He couldn't help it even if a gigantic part of him believed the child wasn't his.<p>

Bella felt her stomach churn and acidic burning flare up in the back of her throat as Edward's voice softened when he said "He, the baby is a he. She told me that over the phone." She hated the idea of another woman having even the tiniest part of Edward and a baby was a enormous part of someone; and the way Edward said "He" made her feel jealous that Irina could be giving Edward his first son and she was afraid that their baby might fall short after Irina's baby. She had sat, listened and watched Irina as she talked to both Garret and Edward, or more to the point ignored Garret and drooled over Edward. The second she saw Irina her envy and suspicion flew into overdrive. Edward hadn't said anything about Irina being gorgeous, though after seeing all of the women he had flaunted in the past she wasn't sure why it was a surprise, with long blonde hair and a slender body, bordering on painfully thin, not to mention a rack to die for. It wasn't really any of this that had drawn Bella and Kate's attention; what had really drawn their attention was her constant fidgeting and the way that she practically bounced in her seat but her eyes had that sleepy quality that drug users have not long after a hit. Her pale blue eyes had never rested on anything for more than five seconds at a time; except for the venomous look she had shot her stomach. Bella had felt tears well in her eyes at that sight and she wanted nothing better than to take that baby and protect it, him, from his druggie mother. Even if it turned out he wasn't Edwards' child.

When Irina had lost her temper and yelled she wanted Edward over everything else Bella had lost her fight to control her sobs and Kate had grabbed her arm to hold her in place before she could blow the meeting, her sob had made Edward stiffen in his seat and Irina to shoot her a bothered look but it didn't seem to alert her to their connection. Bella shrugged off the feeling of impending disaster that was surrounding her and told herself she needed to be strong for Edward, no matter how badly she wanted to run and hide, she was sticking around to help him out. A swift kick to her bladder had her inwardly smiling, knowing the baby wanted her to stay too.

They talked, for what seemed like days when in reality it was probably two hours, about how they were going to go on from there and who needed to know and they decided that the minimal about of people who knew the better. Garret called the Doctors number on the small card Irina had left for them and set up the appointment for the following day, Edward called and got his PA to cancel the numerous things he had going on the next day and Kate offered to be there as well but Garret put his foot down and said "No, Kate, no way are you going to be there. She already knows about me and I think if you showed up it would cause more drama, she might think it was you she spoke to today." Bella heard the sound of her voice and was shocked considering she hadn't planned on speaking at all, she hadn't even offered to be there even though she wanted to, "No, it wasn't Kate she spoke to it was me. She obviously knows you're involved and she probably thinks because you showed up here today without me that I had already taken off, like a fling or something. I want to be there." The colour in Edward's face drained and he stumbled over his words trying to get them all out at once before jamming his mouth shut and shaking his head before trying again "Bella honey I don't think that is a good idea. What if she flips out when she sees you? I don't want to put you in that position." Hurt and anger warred within her and anger won out, she found herself whisper-yelling "So what, Edward, what happens if this child is proven to be yours? Are you just going to ignore that it will have a half sibling less than six months younger? Am I going to be your dirty little secret? I wont do that, I will not make our child second best. We deal with this together or has all of your talk about wanting to be in a relationship with me been bullshit? Because the last time I checked an equal relationship meant the good and the bad. This definitely qualifies as bad but, ugh, I want to be able to support you. Out in the open and it may even help with Irina, maybe she'll move on when she realises that you have."

Edward knew that she meant everything she was saying but he also knew Irina was crazy and that Bella being there, as much as he wanted her there to support him, was probably a very bad idea but he had known Bella long enough that he recognised the stubborn set to her jaw and that she wouldn't budge on being there with him. He shot a look at Garret who winced and shook his head imperceptibly; conveying that he thought it was a very bad idea to have Bella there. He sighed and said tiredly "You are not my 'dirty little secret', I would love to go public with this relationship but you said you weren't ready and all this blowing up now is making that difficult and I meant absolutely everything I have said to you about this relationship, everything! Look, whatever, Bella, you can be there." He saw her shoulders relax and he knew that him saying she could be there was a relief for Bella and if he was honest with himself if some random boyfriend turned up with a claim, even a false claim, to Bella he'd want to be involved with the process every step of the way.

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><p><strong>Leave me reviews if you're enjoying it :)<strong>

**Cherie xx**


	27. Chapter 27

**Don't forget I only own the plot not the characters they belong to Ms Meyer.**

**Ok so I said it would jump & it has but I threw in a flashback :) confusing but it worked for me lol**

**Hope you're still enjoying it.**

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><p>"Good morning Mr Cullen, happy New Year." Edward gnashed his teeth together at the overly chipper male voice on the other end of his telephone. He grunted his reply but even his unenthusiastic greeting didn't damper the happy soul on the other end "Mr Cullen, my name is James Smith from Holstein Genetics labs. I was calling to confirm your appointment for this afternoon at 2pm to receive the results of your DNA testing, is this time still acceptable?" Edward felt the lead weight, a weight that had been living inside his chest ever since Irina had called that day in November, shift and impede his breathing even more as he said "Yes of course we will be there at just before 2 this afternoon. Do you know if Ms Jenks will be in attendance?" The gentleman on the other end of the call hummed and Edward could hear him tapping away at the keys on his computer before he said "Ah, yes Sir it looks like Ms Jenks has requested that she be here when the results are given out." His voice had an almost apologetic tone to it as he told Edward that Irina was going to be there. Edward sighed deeply before saying "Thanks again James and we'll see you at 2 this afternoon. Goodbye." Hanging up the phone Edward felt like punching something but he resorted to going into the bedroom to wake Bella.<p>

With the drama that had happened over Christmas and New Year Edward was glad that they hadn't mentioned anything. Bella's shop had been vandalised and several more of his building sites had been tampered with. They had been dealing with the police constantly over the holiday period and neither of them had really enjoyed the time. The arson investigation into the fire at Bella's apartment had apparently hit a snag and it hadn't progressed wither. It was all very frustrating but they, and their family, decided to try and ignore all the drama and enjoy Christmas. The kids had had a ball and with Alice due any second the family were all on tenterhooks waiting for the phone call to say that she had had the baby.

He walked through the door to his room, expecting Bella to be curled up in the middle of his bed, hugging the body pillow Alice and Rose had suggested she get, but Bella wasn't there. He felt panicky for a second before he heard her voice coming from the en-suite. There was no way that she knew he was in the room and the volume was low and conversational so he knew she wasn't singing, something he discovered that Bella loved doing (even if she wasn't all that good at it). "I love you, with all my heart. You are my life and I would do anything for you." Her words sent shafts of jealousy straight through Edward and he couldn't help himself. Striding across the wooden floors he pushed the door to the bathroom open, about to confront her over what he had heard; what he saw had his mouth going dry and his eyes filling with emotional tears. Bella stood before the full length mirror, naked as the day she had been born, her stomach pushing out from her gorgeous body. She had both hands cupping the underside of her belly and she was talking to their unborn child. "You know I'm not to sure how I feel about the changes you've made to your home, I know you need more space but seriously I think I should have been consulted before you expanded." She joked lovingly to her stomach. She cocked her head to the side slightly and turned side on so that she, and unbeknownst to her, Edward, had a better view of her pregnant form. Edward felt his body stir at her nakedness and still found the fact that she aroused him so completely, without even looking at him or touching him, amazing. He stood watching her for a good couple of minutes before he started feeling left out and clearing his throat made his presence known. Bella jumped a little at the sound of him clearing his throat but the million dollar smile she gave him reassured him that he hadn't scared her to much.

Bella still wasn't used to her pregnant form and everyday it came as a shock to see herself in this new way. It bothered her in a small way that her figure was now pretty much none-existent; though according to everyone else, including a very jealous Rose, Alice and Kate, she barely looked pregnant and that unless you really knew her (or saw her side on) you could probably dismiss the fact she was due in just eighteen weeks with a laugh. She knew that Edward still found her sexy because their sex life, although lessened somewhat by the impending DNA results, was still intense and frequent. Edward had left their bed about an hour earlier after a long and lustful lovemaking and Bella had been to exhausted to get out of the bed straight away so she had laid there revelling in the glorious aftermath before getting into Edwards' wonderful shower and washing her very relaxed body. As she had dried herself she had seen her reflection in the mirror and she had stood watching the baby moving under her skin. The baby, as if knowing it was being watched, put on a wonderful show of stretching and moving while she watched. She lost track of how long she had stood watching the baby, she spoke lovingly to her bump and cradled it within her hands. A soft cough from behind her had her jumping but she knew it would only be Edward and she had lost her discomfort at him seeing her naked when he had not-so-delicately showed her what it did to him. She lifted her head and looked through the mirror into his green eyes and said "Hello to you Mr Cullen. Are you ready for today?" Bella would never let on to Edward just how worried she was about the results today especially after Irina's behaviour at the clinic a month before.

_One Month Ago_

The car pulled to a stop outside a non-descript brick façade building with a discreet blue sign with the name of the clinic written on it in white. Bella felt a surge of nausea over having to be there at all but she had fought to be included in this today and she wasn't going to back out now. Edward had a pale drawn look on his face and he had barely spoken three words since Garret had picked them up (the notion behind that was then Irina wouldn't know what car Bella or Edward drove) and had run through the legal ramifications of the tests. Neither Bella nor Edward really listened because both were to busy dealing with their own emotions. They got out of the car and she grabbed Edwards' hand and gripped it tight, he looked down at her and the corners of his mouth twitched up but it quickly fell from his lips and was replaced by the frown lines that had been bracketing his mouth for the last three days. As they walked up the gravelled path the sun broke through a cloud and shone brightly down on their heads, Bella thought it ironic that it had made an appearance on a day when there didn't seem to be any light at the end of the long emotional tunnel ahead.

Garret had rambled non-stop since he had picked up him and Bella and Edward was kind of relieved that the conversational duties hadn't fallen to him because he wasn't sure that he could have carried on any type of conversation. He and Bella had pretty much ignored the topic of Irina for the last three days and tried to just carry on with their normal lives, as strange as they were.

When they finally reached the clinic his heart thudded loudly in his ears. Bella had clutched his hand and he had tried to smile but the strain he was feeling made keeping the smile in place impossible. The sun peaked through the clouds and made the red tinges in Bella's hair ignite like tiny fires and it made him want to grab her in his arms and turn around and run away so they didn't have to deal with this life changing moment. An attractive blonde man, his name tag read James, greeted us as we walked in the door. His eyes dropped to Bella's stomach and then flickered to Garret who, even dressed in jeans and blazer, screamed lawyer and than to him with a condemning gleam to his look. Garret saw the fine line between fury and calm snap within Edward's eyes and stepped up to the desk "Ah, good morning we have an appointment to have a DNA test done." The man behind the desk tapped his computer and said "Irina Jenks and Edward Cullen?" Edward breathed in deeply but before he could answer the door behind them opened and Irina waltzed in.

"Edward! You came, I'm glad. You'll see that I'm telling the truth after this." Edward watched her pale blue eyes fall on Bella, her eyes narrowed and her anger flashed like a blush across her face. "Who the fuck is that?" she squealed, pointing her long manicured finger at Bella. Edward stepped in front of Bella and said "She is here for me. That's all you need to know." He could see the speculation in her eyes and when she spoke again her voice was calmer but the fire was still in her eyes "Is this the bitch I spoke to on the phone the other day?" He would have given everything he owned for Bella to not have been there but if he was honest with himself he needed her strength; he shut his eyes, rubbing his forehead, before saying "This is Isabella and yes it was her that you spoke to on the phone the other day; however she is not a bitch. She is my girlfriend and I think she deserves some respect." If Irina's head could've exploded with rage it would've do so right then. "Isabella? As in Bella? She's the one you had me pretend to be? Why the fuck would you want me to be her when who I am is _so_ much better?" A soft gasp from Bella reached Edward's ears and for the first time that he could remember he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him, he was so embarrassed as Irina blurted out his darkest secret in front of the one person whose opinion mattered to him in the entire world. But before he could reply Irina had focused her hatred on Bella "So he finally got between those thighs of yours, I guess that's the reason he started ignoring me. Well let me tell you something whore, he is mine and this baby is his and we will be together. A fuck is nothing compared to family and Edward will do the right thing by his son." Edward opened his mouth to speak but Bella cut him off "I hope for that child's sake that it is Edwards' because then we can take it from you and protect him from you. As for my relationship with Edward and your claim that family means the most to him; I'm carrying _his_ child and at least he knows for certain this baby is his without needing to test it. You were nothing but a fuck and you deluded yourself into thinking it was more than that. What woman allows a man to pretend she is someone else? Surely that made alarm bells ring inside your head? Didn't that make you realise that he loved someone else? And do you know what, that someone is me. Has always been me and will always be me."

As Irina lunged for her Bella felt a moment of panic but she couldn't help but feel better that her feelings were out in the open, Edward was hers and she wanted to show this bitch that. She stepped back as the blonde snarled in her face and Bella was grateful that Garret had been within grabbing distance of Irina and was able to pull her up before she could actually reach Bella. Edward wrapped his arms protectively around her and Bella felt a sense of intense pleasure in the look Irina shot them, a look filled with disbelief and anger and hatred. The man behind the counter had stood watching them with a look of disbelief on his face; Bella figured he was probably wondering when they'd appear on Jerry Springer. This thought caused a small smile to play around the corners of Bella's mouth and the growl that came from Irina made her aware that Irina had taken the small smile as a grin of victory but before Bella could do or say anything the technician came into the waiting area "Ah Mr Cullen and Ms Jenks." His voice trailed away as he took in the two women being held apart from each other by the two men, he cleared his throat again and said "Folks if you'd like to follow me we can get this sorted out for you all ASAP and then you can get on with your lives."

Seeing Irina lunge for Bella made Edward's heart leap into his mouth, this was exactly what he had feared would happen if Bella came with them today but seeing Bella stand up for them made him love her even more. When the technician came out into the waiting area and saw the two women being detained he had struggled to maintain a professional composure at seeing two women fighting; and if Edward had've been in a better place the sight of two women fighting would've been hot to him as well but nothing seemed funny right now. They all followed the technician into the smaller sterile room; Irina had been sat as far from Bella as possible with Garret next to here and Edward next to him. The technician fan through the procedure before saying "Normally we could have the results before the end of the week but with the holidays coming up the lab is closed from Thursday and wont be opened again until the fourth of January. I understand that this is a problem and I apologise for the drama but there is nothing I can do about it. Do you still want to proceed?" Edward shot a glance at Irina before saying "yes I still wish to proceed." Irina on the other hand snorted and said "For fuck sake this fucking kid will be here not long after that why the hell don't we wait?" Edward could see the surprise and disgust on everyone else's face at the way she spoke about her baby but he ignored them and said "We could wait but I would like to get you out of my life as soon as possible."

_Present Day_

Edward pondered her words and decided that the truth would be better than pretending that it didn't matter to him either way the test results went "Nope." He said, his mouth making the 'p' pop. "I honestly don't think I could be ready even if I'd had years to prepare, you know?" He watched Bella smile sadly before saying "You know it doesn't matter, right? I mean no matter what happens today I love you and I'm here for you." She walked over to him, completely ignorant of the fact she was naked, and wrapped her arms around his body. He felt his body relax as her arms closed around him and kissing the top of her head he said "What the hell have I done to deserve you Bella?" she giggled and said "I don't know but I'm thankful for it." She tightened her hug before letting him go and saying "Let me get dressed and we'll go see Kate and Garret before we go get the results." Bella and Kate had become exceedingly close over the past month and Edward was pleased she had someone to talk to, other than him, because they had decided to not tell anyone else until the results had come in.

They both got dressed and drove over to Kate and Garret's, stopping to get lunch on the way. They enjoyed a semi-relaxed lunch where they pretended that their appointment wasn't looming. Kate and Bella disappeared into the nursery Kate was decorating after lunch and Garret and Edward sat in the living room watching the television. "So Ed, how are you coping? And don't give me that 'I'm fine don't stress' garbage that you've been sprouting to Bella. I've known you long enough that I can tell when your stress levels are sky high, Kate and I are worried about you." Edward felt the automatic smile he'd been forcing himself to wear tug at his mouth but the look on Garret's face had it leaving before it began and he said "You're right, I am stressed out. I'm worried the kid is mine and then I'll have to deal with Irina for the rest of my life, I'm worried about Bella and the baby, I'm worried about the attacks on my business and Bella's and I'm worried that whoever set fire to her apartment will show up again and right now she isn't capable of dealing with that on top of everything else." He felt the tears he had been holding in well in his eyes, he wasn't afraid to show Garret his emotions; they had been friends too long for mucho crap to get in the way. Garret patted his back while he cried and when his tears had dried he felt better and smile tiredly at Garret "Thanks man. I am so pleased to have friends like you and Kate and I don't tell you often enough. I love you both man, and I would do anything for either of you, you know that right?" Garret smiled and said "Hell yeah, man of course I know that and we'd do the same for you. We're friends' man and nothing will change that, everything that is happening will make us all stronger and I'm pretty sure that if your relationship with Bella hasn't imploded yet under the stress nothing will hurt it. Just don't shut her out because that will make her pissed off." Edward grinned and said "Yeah she has a temper."

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><p><strong>Poor Edward he's trying so hard to put on a brave face but it's stressing him out.<strong>

**Things will get better but you know that they need to get worse before that ;)**

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**Cherie**

**xx**


	28. Chapter 28

**Don't forget I only own the plot :)**

**I hope you're still enjoying the story.**

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><p>They drove in Bella's car to the clinic and Bella felt nervous and not just about the results, something was happening she could feel it. They pulled into the parking lot of the clinic and Irina's car was already there and the bad feeling in Bella's gut intensified. As they walked through the double glass doors they could hear Irina screaming at the young woman behind the counter; the second the buzzer sounded and their entrance was announced Irina swivelled around and the look on her face made Bella and Kate gasp. She looked manic and even a little psychotic, her eyes were wide and frantic and even from their position several feet away they could see her breath racing. The woman behind the desk who had been sitting in fright while Irina had screamed at her scrambled away the second her attention was claimed elsewhere. The two times Bella had seen Irina she had been immaculately dressed and her platinum blonde hair had been styled now she had an almost inch of darker blonde regrowth and her clothing looked wrinkled and it was mismatched and the fingernails that had been so well manicured were now broken and the polish was chipped. She kept wincing and she never stood still, she snarled at the little group before her and said "Well fuck me the cavalry's arrived." Bella watched Edward's nostrils flare before he said "I hope you're well Irina." and Bella was proud of him ignoring her obvious attempt to goad him into an argument. His calm demeanour only served to anger Irina more and a string of expletives that had even Garret (who, in the short time Bella had spent with both he and Kate, had taught Bella a few new curse words) saying "Oi, enough of that." Irina snarled at him and flipped him off before turning her hateful gaze back to Bella and Edward.<p>

"So the slut's still around. Fuck me Edward that'd have to be a record for you." Edward sighed and said "Yes _Bella_ is still with me." His emphasis on Bella's name didn't go unnoticed and the anger on Irina's face deepened when Bella took his hand and squeezed it. The group were saved from what would surely have been an acidic retort from Irina by the arrival of the technician who had taken the DNA in the first place. "Ah, good you're all here. The lab received your results this morning, if you'll all follow me we'll get those results and that will hopefully enable you all the closure you need." The strong dislike in his eyes when he looked at Irina told Edward which way the technician wanted the results to fall and he was hoping that the technician might have been giving away the results.

As they filed once again into the small sterile room Edward made sure to keep Irina as far away from Bella as possible. The technician sat down behind his desk and said "You all understand that, whichever way these test results go, they are ninety-nine point three percent accurate and that means that you, Mr Cullen, will either definitely be or definitely not be the father of Ms Jenks' baby." Edward could feel the others in the room holding their breath as the technician tapped away on his keyboard for several seconds before a small frown creased his brow. He looked up and narrowed his eyes slightly at Irina, who hadn't stood still beside the door since they had arrived, before sliding a softer look at Bella than looking straight into Edward's eyes as the printer at his side whirred into action. He reached out and snagged the single piece of paper, a singular slip of wood pulp that had his entire future printed on it, before clearing his throat and saying "In the matter of the unborn child of Ms Irina Jennifer Jenks there is a ninety-nine point three percent chance that you, Mr Edward Mason Cullen are the father."

Edward sat staring at the technician, sure he had heard him wrong but the triumphant shriek from Irina and the stupefied looks on Garret, Kate and Bella's faces told him that he hadn't. His worst nightmare had come true and he was tied to Irina for the rest of his life. He couldn't make his brain work it seemed like an old record player stuck on a scratched record; replaying over and over again those three little words 'are the father' and feeling like his heart had stopped beating within his chest. Edward sat like that for what seemed like a lifetime before he finally moved his head and he looked directly at Bella. Her face held a strained smile of understanding and she was squeezing one of his hands with one of hers and rubbing his back with the other. He could vaguely hear Garret speaking to Kate and the technician while Irina danced about in uncontainable joy; all he cared about was that Bella hadn't left and that now they knew the truth they could move on.

Bella felt her heart drop to the floor when their worst fears were realised and the test revealed that Edward was the father of Irina's baby but a small, almost infinitesimal, part of her rejoiced that now at least they had a legitimate claim on the child and they could rescue him from Irina's destructive life. Seeing how broken Edward was at the news she felt a tide of anger wash over her. She hated Irina in that moment for waiting so long and for taking such obvious joy in Edward's agony. Irina was still bouncing on the spot but she had stopped gloating aloud; now she was on her phone, typing away merrily and muttering under her breath as she did so. Her smile bigger than Bella had ever seen it, bigger than it had a right to be, but Bella understood that this meant that Irina figured she had a solid claim to Edward now and that was all she had ever wanted and that pissed Bella off more than the fact that Edward had fathered her child. She couldn't help herself as she flung herself from her chair and aimed a slap at Irina's smug face. Irina, who had glanced up from where she had no doubt been sending triumphant messages in time to see a furious Bella launching herself at her, stepped back into the door frame and swung a closed fist towards Bella. Luckily or unluckily, depending on who you were at that particular moment, Garret had been watching Bella's reaction and had seen her anger override her commonsense. He wrapped his arms around her and dragged her further away from Irina who spat at Bella and said "Not so sure of yourself now are we whore? Nothing will stop my son having the family he needs and now that slip of paper proves what I've been saying, you wont be around for much longer."

Bella struggled against Garret, swearing the entire time and even employing some of the curse words Garret himself had taught her. "I swear to God you fucking dirty slut I will beat the fucking crap out of you and the only way for that child to have a decent life and a loving family is if you weren't his mother you drug addled crack whore." Irina leant around Garret and laughed in Bella's face before spitting at her. As Irina's spit covered her face Bella saw red and renewed her efforts to get free of Garret's strong embrace. She was fighting so hard and he was trying desperately to retain his hold on her without hurting wither her or the baby that they didn't see Kate stand beside them. They didn't see the punch she aimed at Irina but they heard the thud as it connected with Irina's jaw. Irina's head rocked back, smacking into the frame of the door, and Bella couldn't help the chortle of delight at her obvious confusion. That look didn't last long before rage replaced it and Irina lunged for Kate. Suddenly Edward's voice rung clear and loud within the room "Cut it the fuck out. For god sake, Irina I will have Garret call you to discuss where we go from here but I warn you that I don't want to be hearing from you at any time until then. Please leave." Irina huffed and growled at both Kate and Bella "This is far from over. I will make the pair of you pay for this." She picked up her dropped phone and hand bag before exiting the room loudly slamming the door behind her.

Garret finally released Bella as Irina left the room and Bella felt herself falling into Kate's waiting arms; they hugged one another both of them whispering hurriedly about Irina and her parting threat. Neither of them believed her threat to be an empty one and they were both worried about what her corrupted mind might be capable of. Bella pulled herself from Kate's arms and looked worriedly over at Edward, who was sitting with his head in his hands while Garret and the technician spoke, her heart bled for him as a solitary tear fell onto his jeans as she looked on. Her heart contracted painfully and she rushed to his side. She dropped into the seat she had vacated a minute before and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. She clung to him tightly as he tried to shrug off her touch. "Cut it out Edward. I'm not going anywhere." He muttered something low and quick under his breath but Bella caught what it was and said "I'm not leaving! For god's sake did you miss the part where I got into a physical altercation with another pregnant woman over you? I never once thought you were a virgin, trust me I know you're not, and accidents do happen. We can deal with this. I want to fight for this but if you don't want me here than just man up, open that mouth of yours and say something because I won't stay where I'm not wanted."

He couldn't bare having her talk about leaving and his body reacted quicker than his mind, he saw his hands grab her arms and watched as he jammed his face into hers "NO! You're not leaving! I want you, God how I want you. It's always been you." He watched as she jumped and shrunk away from his overzealousness but he couldn't get his body to obey his mind and let her go; it was as if his body figured if it let her go she'd bolt out the door faster than he could blink. They sat for what seemed like an eternity before his brain regained control over his body and he let go of Bella's arms. He dropped his eyes away from hers as his hands thudded uselessly into his lap, he glanced over at Kate and Garret who were standing by the door touching lovingly and talking in muted tones. Edward stood from his seat and walked towards the couple; he wanted; no he owed them massive thanks for everything they had done for both him and Bella in the past month. Clearing his throat he got their attention and said "I want to say thanks for helping out and being supportive of the drama I've put you in the middle of. I couldn't ask for better friends." He wrapped his arms around them and hugged tight, he heard Kate sniffle as his arms circled them and it made him hug her tighter.

They finally left the clinic after fixing up the bill, the trip home was even quieter than the trip in. Garret couldn't help but feel partially responsible for what was happening in his best friends' life. He had seen how unlike himself Edward had been in the last year and he had accepted Edward's lame excuses about it. He felt that if only he had pushed Edward wouldn't have sought comfort and release in Irina or any of the dozens of women he had been with over the last year. Both he and Kate had discussed, numerous times, how destructive Edward's behaviour was becoming and just when they were about to intervene he seemed to calm down. Then something would set him back on that path again. It terrified him to think of some of the situations his best friend had put himself into.

Edward had come to him at the beginning of the last year and asked him if he, Garret, would even consider dating a girl who was pretty much family. Garret now knew what that question had really been about but back then it was just another part of another discussion that didn't seem to have any relevance at all and he had said "Nah, what happens if it goes bad? Nope, better to forget about that. To many complications." Part of him knew that if Edward had explained his feelings and told Garret exactly who he was talking about he still would've reacted the same way he had when Edward had first told he and Kate but he would've tried to help him decide on the next move. Now his best friends' life was a very tangled web and to him it seemed to be a tangle that may prove untangle-able.

The night before he and Kate had lain in bed; he had had his face pressed against his gorgeous wife's baby bump, talking to their child, and they had talked about the situation Bella and Edward found themselves in and Garret was so very thankful that he had found his soul mate with little or no drama early in his life. Kate was devastated that her new-found friend (Bella) was going through such a horrific thing while in such a vulnerable position in her life and she was angry at Edward for putting Bella through it. Garret knew that she didn't believe that Edward had meant for this to happen, they had both known Edward for the better part of twenty years, but as she had pointed out Edward was an adult and he should have behaved like on instead of behaving like a teenage boy. They had both prayed for the results to come back that Irina would be lying because they were worried about the impact a positive result would have on their friends. The way Bella had challenged Irina had told Garret that they would, hopefully, survive this as a stringer couple if Edward verbalised his pain and anger. Garret heard himself scoff at that thought, Edward was not known for his emotional sharing. Looking at the strained pain in the rear vision mirror Garret suddenly knew that it was going to get worse for the couple in the back seat before it was going to get better. It seemed as if the cosmos was working against them and the obstacles in their way were gigantic but he knew Edward well enough, and he was getting to know Bella well enough, to know that they would face those obstacles together; Garret was just hoping they didn't get squashed by them.

Garret manoeuvred Bella's brand new Black Chevy Impala LTZ through the streets. The car was fucking beautiful and Garret was considering trading in Kate's compact for one (a different colour though) but Kate was very attached to her Mini Cooper S. He had noticed how difficult it was for them to fit shit in that car let alone a baby but he knew Kate hadn't, it had to look like it was her idea. Bella hadn't even blinked when she handed him the keys to drive them to the clinic this morning even though she hadn't had the car two weeks, to her it was just a car but he knew that it was Edward who had suggested the Impala. His cell phone buzzed as they pulled into his and Kate's drive; he fished it out of his pocket, frowning at the unfamiliar number, he answered "Garret Brown Esq speaking." He heard Bella snort under her breath at hearing him answer his phone that way but other than flipping her off he ignored her concentrating on the voice on the phone. "Mr Brown this Detective Embry Call from Seattle Police Department." The voice waited as Garret said "Good afternoon Detective, how can I help you?" Garret frowned as the man on the other end of the phone sighed and said "I'm sorry sir but we have some bad news. We were called to the scene of an accident a little over half an hour ago." Garret was still confused as to where the Detective was going with this but he waited and when the Detective spoke again Garret felt his stomach drop to his toes "I'm sorry to say sir but the young woman in the car, by the name of Irina Jenks, didn't make it."

Garret felt the bile rise in the back of his throat as he looked over his shoulder at Edward and croaked "Jesus, um she's pregnant, um, how's the baby?" this part of the conversation drew the attention of the other three occupants in the car and they all stopped their quiet conversation and sat watching him avidly. The police officer cleared his throat and said "Yes sir. The baby survived the accident but he was in critical condition, we rushed him to Seattle General hospital. We can't find any next of kin and when we called the number under 'lawyer' in her phone he was dismissive and told us to contact you. We need you to come to Seattle General to identify the body and tell us how to proceed with the baby." Garret drew in a deep breath and said "We'll be there as soon as possible; we'll wait for someone at the front desk of the hospital. Thank you for the call." He ended the call before turning in his seat and saying "Guys we have a serious problem. Irina has been in an accident, she's dead, the baby has been rushed to Seattle General in critical condition; they need us to identify the body and figure out how to deal with the baby." The noise from both the girls was loud but Edward remained staring at Garret as if he hadn't said anything, he sat with his mouth hanging slightly open and his gaze, even though it was trained on Garret, was far off and glazed.

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><p><strong>Ok bye bye Irina. I hated putting an innocent child at risk but it works at keeping Bella and Edward together without Irina's nastiness. <strong>

**Gotta love a bitch fight :) and it's nice to see Bella sticking up for her man and her family.**

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**Cherie**

**xxx**


	29. Chapter 29

**I own nothing Twilight related I own the plot!**

**OK lovely people thanks for hanging with me. I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday period. I know it's been AGES since I last updated but like the rest of the world's population I have been CRAZY over the Holiday period but now I'm back :)**

**So for those still with me wow thanks so much. This chapter is over 4,500 words so hopefully it makes up for my absence :)**

**Enjoy.**

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><p>Garret's words reached his ears but they didn't really register in his brain. Edward felt his heart seize with guilt but a tiny piece of him was relieved that Irina was dead. When Garret said that she had died at the scene of the car accident he hadn't even considered the baby until Bella and Kate cried out in thankfulness at his survival. Now he had considered the baby he had taken centre stage in his brain. Edward focused on Garret and said "Let's go Garret." That was it and it was all Garret needed to shift Bella's car into reverse and back out onto the street. He felt like he was going to puke with every breath that he took and felt even worse when Garret's deep voice sounded within the quiet car "We need to be prepared for what we find at the hospital. The officer I spoke to said that the baby was in a serious condition, I don't know what that means but it can't be good." Edward nodded but didn't speak; he thought he'd lose his lunch if he opened his mouth.<p>

They reached the hospital and taking Edward's hand Bella squeezed, she couldn't speak because her emotions were all over the place and she didn't want to say the wrong thing, she figured just by touching him that Edward would realise she was there for him and loved him and when he squeezed back she knew he understood. Their quartet walked through the main entrance of Seattle General, all of them staring around them not knowing where to go first. A sign over a desk reading Administration drew them like magnets. A lovely blonde woman behind the desk smiled at them gently, a smile that was neither to bright and cheerful nor sad and pitying, her smile was friendly and reassuring but still it took her saying "Can I help you with anything?" in an almost confused way before any of them snapped out of their stupor enough to talk. Bella cleared her throat and said "Yes, hi, um we have to meet a Detective here. We received a call from him regarding an accident." The pretty woman's features clouded over and Bella knew that the woman behind the desk knew exactly what they were in for and she didn't envy them in the slightest but she remained professional and said "Of course, Detective Call just stepped away. He asked me to have you wait here for him and he said he apologises for the wait." All four of them nodded at the woman before they all muttered varying forms of a thank you before stepping to the side and waiting in a tense little circle for the police detective.

When the Detective arrived Edward stiffened when he recognised the Detective in charge of Bella's arson case, he hadn't put the name to the face. Detective Call hadn't seen them standing there waiting and had hurried up to the desk and spoken to the helpful admin worker who pointed surreptitiously in their direction. He had turned and the second his eyes fell on Edward a flash of recognition lit his features, he walked towards them and, shaking hands with them all, said "Sorry for your loss." And it was clear to Edward that the detective was trying to figure out the connection between Irina and the group before him. Sighing Edward said "Thank you. I know you're wondering what we have to do with this and the short story is Irina is an old girlfriend and the baby is my son." A small thrill deep in his chest had Edward almost smiling as he said those words but the gravity of the situation had it dying before it began. The detective nodded slowly before his eyes slid to Garret and Kate, he narrowed his eyes before saying "I take it that you are the lawyer I spoke to earlier." It wasn't a question so much as a statement and Garret nodded saying "Yes, I am and this lovely woman is my wife, Kate." Detective Call nodded and said "Okay now that I understand everyone's role in this little saga we can go forward." Edward nodded and said "Look can you please just tell us what happened."

Embry Call hated this part of his job. Telling loved ones that their family member was dead wasn't exactly a high point. The second he had seen Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan he was confused but figured out pretty quickly either Edward or the man, he assumed the other man was the lawyer he had first spoken to, was the father of the little boy lying in the NICU upstairs fighting for his life. He had been the first respondent on the scene of the crash and to say it had been brutal would have been an understatement and to have the baby survive was nothing short of a miracle. Taking a deep breath he briefly closed his eyes before saying "Ms Jenks was texting while driving and her vehicle veered into oncoming traffic and smashed head first into a semi. As I said before, and I apologise for saying it the way I did if I had've realised that you had a personal connection I would have broken the news gentler, she died at the scene. The passers by who phoned it in made certain that paramedics knew she was pregnant and they were on the scene within minutes. They moved her from the vehicle and there were still faint signs of life within her womb they performed a c-section and removed the child in order to keep him alive. Now if you'll follow me, Mr Cullen I will get you to identify the body, everyone else can wait in the corridor." He gestured for them all to follow him into an elevator and down to the morgue. He absolutely hated the morgue, it creeped him out so much that he avoided it as much as possible but in his line of duty there is still on so much delegation you can do. They reached the quiet lower floor of the hospital and Embry pointed to a bank of chairs against the wall "You folks can have a seat here and wait for us." He watched as Edward kissed Isabella tenderly saying "Bella it'll be fine, I promise. Remember I love you." Embry found this comment strange but didn't say anything, it wasn't his place. He turned away from the small group and, gesturing for Edward Cullen to follow him, he knocked on a non-descript steel door and waited for an answer, giving his name and badge number before the door was opened.

Edward followed the quietly observant detective into the viewing area of the hospitals morgue. He stood gawking at a room that wouldn't look out of place as a waiting room in a doctors' surgery. It wasn't what he expected at all, not that he knew what to expect but this wasn't it. A small greying man of indeterminate age came through a hidden door to their right and smiled sadly at them in what Edward figured was grief. He nodded at the detective and asked in a fatherly tone "Is this the family?" Edward wanted nothing more than to violently deny this but figured it opened up too many questions, so he stayed quiet as the detective nodded and said "Is she ready to be viewed?" the morgue attendant said "I think it would be better if she is viewed through the monitor, I've done as much as I can to prepare the body but" he shrugged eloquently and even though Edward didn't really understand that but when the detective nodded Edward figured that it was better for him if he only saw Irina through a monitor maybe it'd be less real or something. The morgue attendant gestured for them to follow him through the hidden door and taking a massive breath Edward followed them.

This room was more or less what Edward expected from a morgue. It was colder more sterile and there were pamphlets on grief and organ donation. A large glass window filled the majority of one wall while on another there was a flat screen monitor. The morgue attendant gestured toward the monitor then disappeared through a door Edward hadn't even noticed. A minute later the screen before him flashed and Irina's face, covered in cuts and bruising several places were stitched together, Edward felt bile rising in the back of his throat the burning got the better of him and he spun away a waste paper bin sitting in the corner of the room received the contents of his stomach. He heaved for a couple of minutes before collapsing against the wall. A hand on his shoulder had him looking up, the tears in his eyes from his vomiting jag blurring his vision, blinking them away he said "Detective, that is Irina, what happens now?" The detective shook his head and shrugged saying "Now we have a positive idea we complete the paper work, the investigation into the crash will continue and we'll let you know what the outcome of that is, you go up stairs and see to the paperwork pertaining to the baby she left behind." Edward felt another wave of nausea at the mention of the baby but he swallowed it down and just nodded. He stood on shaky legs and left the windowless room.

He fell out of the doorway and stumbled into the corridor, Garret reached him first and helped him right himself; Bella hovered with her hand covering her mouth and tears swimming in her eyes "Baby?" was all she asked and all Edward could do was nod letting them know that it was Irina lying on that cold slab. Bella nodded and said quietly "So what happens now?" Edward cleared his throat and said "The detective said that they will let us know how the investigation pans out and that we, I, now need to go upstairs and complete forms about the baby and go from there." He couldn't stand in the narrow corridor so close to Irina's dead body any longer so he just started walking towards the elevator, the others followed behind him quietly. It was Kate who pressed the button on the elevator when he realised he didn't know which level his child was on, he raised an eyebrow and Kate shuffled uncomfortably saying "I asked earlier. I figured, either way, that you wouldn't want to stop and ask the way to the baby so I asked for you." Edward sighed tiredly and said "Thanks heaps Kate, don't know what I'd do without you." He saw Bella stiffen slightly at his words but his brain told him to deal with that later, right at that moment there were other things that needed to be dealt with.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid wide revealing the birthing and maternity wing of Seattle General and their group of four just stood there gaping stupidly around. It wasn't until the doors started sliding closed that anyone moved then it was like lemmings they all filed out but none of them moving further away from the one in front. Bella glanced around at the place where she would more than likely be having her baby and she didn't really like what she saw. The hospital was immaculate but it was their colour scheme that was wearing on Bella's last, extremely raw, nerve. The walls were an apricot colour and the banisters on the walls were a creamy colour and it was entirely too girlie for her liking. Even the pictures on the walls of innocuous mothers and baby's had her wanting to rampage and tear the place apart and from the horrified look on Kate's face she was having the same urges. Sucking in deep breaths she grabbed Edward's hand and followed him down the long corridor, following the signage to the NICU. Garret broke the uneasy silence saying "What the hell does that stand for?" Bella felt herself chuckle silently as Kate gently wacked Garret's head and whispered "Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit, Garret, honestly you'd think that for someone as clever as you that would've been easy to figure out." Garret frowned, rolled his eyes but said nothing as Edward pushed the buzzer on the door. A static-filled female voice said "NICU, how can I help you?" Bella could see the panic bombard Edward and she leant across him and said "Yes we were told to come up here by Detective Call." There was a short pause before the female voice was replaced by a male voice who said "Yes, we were told that you would be here. I'm sorry but there can be only two visitors at a time. Someone will be there in a second to open the door and walk you through our procedures." Bella glanced over her shoulder at the couple behind her, her gaze met Kate's and an unspoken agreement passed between them.

Barely thirty seconds passed before the door to the NICU swished open and an extremely tall man with a stethoscope around his neck stepped into the doorway, pulling off a disposable smock, he smiled and holding out his hand said "Howdy, I'm Doctor Sailor and I am the lead Doctor on this case." He shook all of their hands and Edward felt a wave of reassurance flow through him, the only other person he knew that gave him an instant feeling of being at ease (other than Bella) was Jasper and Edward didn't know if it was because the Doctor had the same Texas drawl that Jasper had or if it was something else. The Doctor smiled again as he said "Mr Cullen, I have read many a good thing about you. I am pleased to finally meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances. Mrs Cullen, nice to meet you as well and who are your friends?" Edward didn't bother correcting the Doctor's assumption that Bella was his wife because if he had his way she would be and very soon. Edward loved that she blushed so prettily at being addressed as Mrs Cullen and felt his chest puff out a little as he introduced their group. "This is my Bella" he said hugging Bella with one arm "and these are our friends Kate and Garret Brown." A chorus of 'pleased to meet you' and 'likewise' sounded in the tiny corridor. Doctor Sailor smiled again and said "Now as head of the NICU I would like to guarantee you that your son is receiving the highest level of care available and he is actually doing very well. Our visiting policy is two at a time; we do however have a small waiting room just within the doors so if y'all could follow me we'll talk more in there." They all followed the friendly Doc through the large metal door into a small waiting room with a half a dozen chairs, a small table, a pamphlet stand and numerous posters on hygiene and proper procedure for dealing with the NICU graced two walls the third wall was covered in hundreds of pictures of babies and thank you cards. These drew Edward's attention more than anything else in the room. He sat heavily into one of the chairs and drew Bella onto his lap; this drew another sunny smile from the Doctor except this one fled quickly when he started speaking. "Now I need to let you know about your son. He is a very sick little boy and before we go any further I need to impress on you that you're has only a twenty-five percent chance at the moment." Edward heard a gasp of disbelief and was stunned to discover it had come from him. Swallowing hard he nodded for the Doctor to continue. "This little boy is a fighter and he is fighting very hard. He was born with a Congenital Heart Defect or what we refer to as CHD and he was also born addicted to methamphetamines. The addiction is, obviously, from the drugs his mother was pumping into her body. Now either of these things, separately, is life threatening but together and added to the fact that he is severely underweight and almost five weeks early puts a greater strain on his tiny body. Doctor Zaheer wants to operate on and repair the hole in his heart. Now was it you or his mother with the congenital defect?" Edward could hear his blood pumping through his veins as the Doctor spoke about his fragile son and he knew that if Irina wasn't already dead he'd want her dead for what she had done to their son. He couldn't understand how someone could put their rush above the wellbeing of their unborn child. Bella's soft squeeze on his hand drew his focus back to the doctor and he said "Um, I don't know of any such defect on my side, so he probably inherited it from his mother." The doctor nodded and then said "Ok now we've gotten the heavy talk out of the way, have you thought of a name for the little one?"

It was a simple question but one that threw her for a loop. She hadn't even considered the name Edward would like to give his son and by the stupefied look on Edward's face neither had he. The exceptionally pleasant doctor laughed gently; lightly rubbing her knee he said "I can tell by the stunned looks on all of your faces that a name for the little tyke was the furthest thing from your mind. How about we let you both through, you can get a look at him and maybe a name will pick itself. It happens like that sometimes, trust me." He stood and Bella scrambled to get off Edward's lap so they could follow him. Garret and Kate just smiled as they trailed the Doc through another sliding door. In this little room there was a large automatic sink, seriously you put you hands under one spot and soap comes out then you move down the line and water comes out, they donned the unattractive smocks and little blue booties Bella struggled with hers enough that the doctor laughed at her gently and helped her get the booties on her feet. They scrubbed their hands before putting on the sterile masks and going through another sliding door.

The room they entered was like nothing either of them had seen before. It was as busy as any ER on a Saturday night and there were all types of noises and sirens. Doctor Sailor bypassed the closest cribs and Bella noticed that Edward refused to look at the tiny lives inside those cribs. They paused in front of a large desk were several female nurses and two male nurses were completing shift change over. "These are Baby Jenks' parents, Mr and Mrs Cullen." Bella felt awkward at being introduced as such considering she wasn't anything to the tiny baby they were about to see and the fact that she was still obviously pregnant was drawing a few raised eyebrows but she didn't have the heart to go into the confusion yet. A chorus of 'hello's' met this statement before the Doc was on the move again. He bypassed several more cribs before stopping at a crib nearest the nurse's station and the minute Bella looked into that crib she lost her heart.

Edward felt hot tears cascade down his face as he laid eyes on the tiny frame of his son and in that instant he loved that child fiercely. He drifted closer to the enclosed humidicrib and touched the side reverently. This close to the baby he could see his tiny head covered in a blue cap and his fragile little body covered in wires and tubes; Edward watched as his sons' chest rose with a breath that seemed to big for his miniature lungs. Edward blinked the tears from his eyes and sought Bella; she was standing at the end of the crib, one hand brushing free flowing tears from her face while the other caressed the bump of their child. She wasn't looking at him she was to intent on the tiny human inside the fish tank-like environment and the wonder in her eyes had Edward's heart swelling. A nurse walked up to them and introduced himself as Paul and reassured them that the baby had been holding his own since they had brought him in. Edward felt his throat tighten as the nurse continued to tell them about the surgery scheduled to fix his tiny heart and in an emotion-rough voice Edward asked "Is he strong enough for that? I mean, I know he needs it and we want him to get better but he is so tiny and fragile. I hate to think of him being put through that." Paul smiled softly and said "Compared to the pain he would be feeling if we left him the surgery is minimal and Doctor Zaheer is the best in the country and he has high hopes for this little one. Um, speaking of the little one have you thought of a name yet?" Edward felt a spark of annoyance at once again being asked if they had thought of a name for the child he had just found out was his; taking a deep breath he said "No, not yet. We'll need to discuss it, don't wanna lump the kid with a name that wont suit him, ya know." This answer seemed to satisfy the nurse who nodded, fiddled with some more wires and wrote more notes in the chart at the end of the cot before walking away. Edward turned towards Bella, who had sunk into one of the two chairs beside the cot, he wanted to say something, anything, but he was at a loss.

Bella watched transfixed as the nurse spoke to Edward, she wasn't really listening she was too focused on the little boy that was now her son, well as good as. She wasn't planning on leaving Edward anytime soon; she loved him with all of her heart. She hadn't thought that she would feel much other than sympathy for the little boy whose mother had just died almost taking him with her but the second she had seen him she had seen a miniature Edward and her heart had been stolen all over again and she wanted nothing more than to protect and love this baby; the same feeling she'd had when she'd realised that Irina had been a drug user. She sunk into the nearest chair and stared at her baby while half-listening to the schedule for the surgery, she just wanted to touch him and let him know that she was there.

She felt Edward's gaze but she couldn't force herself to move her eyes. She sighed as he sat beside her and she held out her hand for him to take and wasn't surprised when he pulled it up to his lips and kissed her fingers. She smiled and glanced lovingly at him before looking back to the baby. Edward's voice interrupted her staring "Bella, I know this is difficult for you; especially since, well since the frigging beginning. I'm sorry baby and I'd understand if you need time." At his words Bella felt a deep anger well inside her. Still, after everything they had been through, he was trying to get rid of her. Huffing out an annoyed breath she swivelled in her chair and said "Edward do you want me here?" He looked startled at her question and he opened and shut his mouth, imitating a fish, before stuttering "I do, but, it's, and you know. I mean with the baby, and he isn't yours. I don't want." Before closing his eyes taking a deep breath to steady him self and saying "Yes I want you, I have always wanted you. I just don't want you being trapped." She raised a hand and cut him off "I knew what I was signing on for, okay maybe not, but I stuck around because I love you."

Edward believed that she wanted to mean everything she said but it wasn't until she said 'I love you' that Edward understood that she actually meant them and she wasn't saying them to make him feel better. He leant forward and kissed her gently on the mouth "I love you too Bella, forever." It was the first time they had said that to one another and a part of Edward wished that it was said at another time and in another place but saying it here seemed the right place and time as well. Never in his adult life had Edward told a woman he loved them. He knew how he felt about Bella but he'd never actually told her; 'I love you' was the last thing his mother had told his father and Edward figured that it was because of that that he had panicked at the slightest thought of telling someone that he loved them but Bella had made him stronger and he realised that even if you lost someone the love you felt for them didn't go away. The smile that lit her face at his words made him forget that it probably was a bad time to finally tell her. She leapt from her chair and threw herself on him, kissing his face and hugging him tightly against her. He laughed gently and said again "Love you Bella. I will love you forever, you are my life and I will do anything for you." She kissed him gently and whispered "I love you too Edward and I feel the same way but at the moment we should really concentrate on the lil fella and help him get better so he can come home with us." A weight Edward hadn't realised he had been carrying over his son, since finding out the child was his, lifted at Bella's words and he kissed her again saying "Do you mean that Bella? I mean really mean it?" Bella nodded and said "Yeah I do mean it. How could I not? He looks exactly like you; check out that hair." Edward smiled down into the humidicrib and noticed that his tiny son had his auburn hair and it made his heart leap in joy. "Hey, Bella, um what should we name him?"

Bella felt her smile slip a little as Edward asked what they should name his son and she felt a slight tug at her heart at the hesitant way he asked and she couldn't help but think of the name she had wanted to call their baby if it was a boy. They had both discovered that they were both massive fans of the motorcycle TV show Sons of Anarchy and she had been toying with the idea of suggesting Jackson as their sons' name; now as she looked down into that tiny humidicrib she felt that this little boy was a Jackson, she wasn't sure if she could explain that better so instead of trying she simply said "I wanted to name our baby Jackson Carlisle Cullen if it was a boy but now we have a son I think it would be nice, what do you think?" Edward had smiled the second she had said the name and sat there repeating it over and over again before saying "Yeah I like it. It's strong and he survived a CHD. Yeah Bella, it's an awesome name. Are you sure you don't mind giving it to this little man and not keeping it to name our child with if it's a boy?" Bella smiled and shook her head "He is our son Edward and that is his name."

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><p><strong>Now I know some of you are probably annoyedconcerned that Bella & Edward are keeping the baby but let's face it it's fiction & Edward had millions of dollars and Bella can get all the help she'll need.**

**There isn't a person alive who could look at a baby in a humidicrib and not lose their heart. It's a heart breaking sight and it makes you grateful for the little things.**

**Please review I love hearing how you feel about the story and the direction it's heading in :)**

**Cherie**

**xx**


	30. Chapter 30

**So remember I own nothing but the plot.**

**Hope your enjoying the story**

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><p>So they filled out the paperwork for naming their son and at Bella's insistence he put Irina's name in the slot as mother (they had decided that they wouldn't keep the truth from Jackson when he was old enough to understand what had happened) and Edward had Garret start adoption proceedings so that by the time little Jax was old enough and well enough to leave the hospital Bella would be his mother by legal terms and not just by love. And she did love that little boy, Edward had been a little concerned about her reaction to him but the love she had for little Jax was clear to all. So in the following weeks they kept Jackson's birth between themselves and waited until he was healthy before telling anyone, they felt like it would jinx them. They had already met with counsellors and social workers from the hospital and they had been through more tests than poor Jackson had, and they had only just learnt that they had been approved, or more correctly, Bella had been approved to adopt Jackson and that their home had passed the criteria as a safe environment for a baby to live in. They hadn't wanted to tell anyone about him until things had started falling into place so that when they were asked they had the answers. They had gotten the best news anyone with a sick baby could hope for, Jackson was allowed to come home. They were so excited they wanted to shout it from the roof tops but Edward thought telling everyone at once would be better. They decided to get their family together and tell them at once.<p>

Bella had charged him with making the call because as she put it "You're his father and you will have the most to explain" he swore she was enjoying the fact that this was going to make him extremely uncomfortable. So he manned up and called his mother "Hey Mum are you and Charlie gonna be home this Saturday?" Esme laughed down the line and said "Of course we are all going to be home this weekend, including your siblings. It's Jaspers' birthday, remember we spoke about the lunch/dinner we're doing because he and Alice are bringing the kids and staying, Alice is still recovering from having Ava." Alice had had to have an emergency C-section three days after Jackson had been born. Edward grimaced and said "Shit, sorry mum, I totally forgot. Bella and I will be there, we've got something to tell you all." Esme's breath had sped up and she sounded panicky as she said "Is everything alright with Bella and the baby?" Edward cursed under his breath and said "Yeah mum everyone is spectacular, just some good news. We'll see you Saturday. Love you." he heard his mother suck in a surprised breath when he told her he loved her and it wasn't that she didn't already know he loved her but it was the first time in his adult life he'd said it out loud. He used to always say 'yeah me too' or 'same here' when she said 'love you', but thanks to Bella he was changing in was he found good. "Love you too my handsome boy." He could tell she was tearing up so he said goodbye and hung up the phone. Turning to Bella he said "I forgot Jaspers' birthday this Saturday." He grimaced down at Bella who cradled their son to her chest before lowering him into the baby bath that sat beside his crib in the hospital, she cooed with delight at the happy noises Jax was making as she bathed him. She looked over her shoulder and said "Well let's not tell them and just bring him with us on Saturday. He's coming home tomorrow and Saturday is only like two days away. We get the car seat fitted into the Impala this afternoon and the furniture is arriving tomorrow morning, and thankfully the baby store delivers and installs or constructs or whatever you call it, because you have work and I can't sit on the floor, obviously." She gestured down at her swelling bump before returning back to Jackson.

Edward sighed because he didn't really wanna spring this on his family but he knew Bella was right if they had everything organised for Jackson they could deal with the family drama together. Jackson was all that mattered right at that moment. He moved to stand next to Bella and spoke gently to his son, who was starting to cry and the cries were increasing in volume "What's the matter little man? Is your mamma starving you?" Bella giggled and snapping the press studs on Jackson's grow-suit closed she picked him up and snuggled him closer saying "No, mamma isn't starving him. He is just like his daddy, impatient when he is made to wait for something." Sending him a sizzling look over her shoulder Bella moved to the rocker and sunk down into it. Edward felt his erection pressing against his jeans as he imagined what it was he really wanted right at that point. There was a knowing rise in Bella's eyebrow and he rolled his eyes saying "Yeah well daddy is learning a lot of self-control lately." And Bella just chuckled.

They arrived at the hospital the next afternoon to collect Jackson; they were both beyond excited about being able to take the baby home. There were an amazing amount of information that they had to absorb on how to take care of their son who for all intents and purposes was a recovering drug addict. Kate and Garret, who had been amazingly supportive throughout their ordeal, had gone on one last holiday before their daughter arrived. Bella felt a little jealous but Jackson was worth missing out on a holiday. They nurses and doctors in the NICU were happy that Jax was strong enough to go home and that his parents were decent people. Bella was ushered into a wheelchair in the NICU waiting room and Jax was put into her arms. Edward walked beside them while an orderly pushed his son and his mother through the crowded hospital. They reached the entrance and beeping the central locking to the Impala Edward opened the back door and taking his son from Bella he buckled him into his car seat, after checking and re-checking the restraints were buckled correctly he turned and helped Bella from the chair. She smiled at the orderly and then slid into the car beside Jackson. Edward closed the door and slid behind the wheel, Bella smiled at him in the rear view mirror and said "Take us home Daddy." Edward slowly pulled out into the traffic and drove home to their apartment. It was the slowest trip of his life and he did nothing but panic the entire time.

That night proved to be an eye-opener for Edward and Bella. A newborn baby required more attention than either of them had really been prepared for, but a newborn that still required regular injections to help him with his drug addiction required twice that amount. Edward had decided that he was going to take a week off work to help Bella and Bella being the organised person she was had laughed and said "Edward I don't think I'm gonna need all that much help." and now that she had the baby home with her and he had cried for eight hours straight she was thankful he hadn't listened. They had tried everything to calm Jackson but nothing seemed to work. She had handed the baby to his father so she could go to the bathroom and she heard Edward talking to Jax "Okay kid, here's the thing, Mamma and I need some sleep. I will buy you anything you want if you just close those gorgeous green eyes and sleep for us. Do we have a deal?" There was a small pause before Jackson whimpered and Edward swore slightly. Bella closed her eyes tiredly; she walked out of the bathroom and spotted Edward pacing the lounge room. It was three o'clock in the morning and they had planned on leaving for Forks at nine but with no sleep she wasn't sure about the plan now. The only sounds filling the apartment were Jackson crying and Edward trying to sooth him. It broke her heart to hear her son crying like that so she held out her arms and Edward hastily placed Jackson in them. She sat back against the lounge and rocked him the best she could with her stomach in the way. She decided she needed some distraction from his tiny sobs so she flicked the massive television on and changed the channel to the music channels. The second the music filled the room Jackson stilled and his tiny little eyes slid shut. Bella blinked dumbly from the baby, now sleeping peacefully, on her chest to Edward to the television and between the three like some perverse game of tennis. Edward whooped in delight that Jackson had finally stopped crying and Bella threw the remote control at him. It hit him squarely in the chest before dropping with an overly loud thunk to the floor. The sound startled Jackson but didn't wake him and Bella cringed at the thought that she could've awoken the child they had spent the last eight hours trying to sleep.

Edward watched as Bella struggled to get off the lounge, he moved to her side and helped her get to her feet. She put Jax into his bassinet and covered him with a blanket. It seemed that Jax was deeply asleep and they both stood there staring down at his angelic face. Edward felt his own bone deep exhaustion but Bella's was written all over her body, pulling her closer he said "I think we need to get some sleep before Prince Charming wakes up." Bella nodded and said to him "Can you grab the bassinet? I'll go put the TV on so he continues to sleep." She stumbled away from them almost bumping into the walls as she went. Edward felt a smile tug at his lips even extremely pregnant, exhausted and emotionally drained she was so gorgeous it made his heart sing. Picking up the bassinet with Jax inside it he smiled tiredly down into the bassinet and said "Please do me a favour little man, sleep for at least three hours so that your poor Mamma and I can at least function." The baby snorted delicately in his sleep before turning his head and sucking hard on his pacifier. Edward carried him into his bedroom and put him under the TV. He turned to ask Bella if that was a good place to put him but she was curled up on her side, cradling her pregnancy pillow, sound asleep. Chuckling quietly he kicked off his shoes and crawled onto the bed beside Bella and he was a sleep before his head had touched the pillow.

Van Morrison's 'Brown Eyed Girl' suddenly blared somewhere near her head and Bella blindly smacked her hand around the bedside table, searching for the sound without actually having to open her eyes but she couldn't find it. Then suddenly a sharp cry rang through the room making Bella jump and swear. Her swearing roused Edward who leapt out of the bed and raced across the room to the crying baby, stubbing his toe on the end of the bed as he went. He snarled and hopped on one foot, checking to see if he'd broken anything and Jackson's cries became louder and more insistent. Bella coughed her laugh into her hand and reached for the still ringing phone, wondering who could be calling at such an early hour. It wasn't until she saw the time that she cried out "Jesus, Edward it's almost nine o'clock." Edward stopped hopping and scooped up the crying baby. They both ignored the ringing phone and stared at one another. Edward rocked the still screaming baby looking totally out of his depths but Bella hadn't woken up enough to offer assistance. She rocked her body enough to help get herself into a sitting position before wriggling her ass off the bed. She padded barefoot over to Edward and the baby and said "Just keep rocking him and I'll get his bottle, if you can feed him I'll have a quick shower and pack the bags and then I'll take over and you can have a shower." She kissed his jaw and than kissed the top of Jaxs' head saying "What a good boy you are letting us sleep for that long. No wonder you're squawking, you're starving. Poor lil man." She chuckled and left Edward to try and calm Jackson down while she organised his bottle. As she fixed the formula she wondered if Jackson sleeping that long was a good thing or a bad thing, she decided to ask Rose when she saw her today. She took the bottle back into Edward's bedroom but the sight before her had her stopping in her tracks.

She had left him! Jackson was still crying and nothing he did seemed to comfort him seemed to work. He had seen Bella snuggle Jax against her chest and he decided to see if that worked. He walked as quickly as he could without actually running to the bed and sat down; he scooted back against the headboard and shifted the baby up against his chest. Jackson hiccoughed and sobbed again but this position seemed to calm him down a little but nothing compared to how he reacted to Bella. Edward was feeling really helpless as Jax continued to cry, until he glanced down and saw his son staring up at him. Jackson's eyes were round and filled with tears and Edward was again struck by how alike their eyes were. He kissed Jackson's forehead and started humming AC/DC's 'You Shook Me All Night Long' before he had even gotten to the first chorus line Jax had stopped crying and was watching him as he started actually singing, softly, the lyrics. Edward was so enamoured with his son that he didn't hear Bella come back into the room. She paused at the end of his bed and stood there watching them, she didn't make a noise it was only that he felt someone watching him that made him look up.

Bella knew Edward would make a great dad but it wasn't until she walked back into that bedroom and saw him cradling that baby against his bare chest and singing to him that she realised fully how fantastic he was going to be. She smiled and handed him the bottle, leant over and kissed him on the mouth before escaping into the en-suite. She showered quickly, knowing that she didn't have the luxury to languish under the relaxing hot spray. She dressed in a comfy pair of cargo pants, (attaching the belly band) put a long maternity singlet on over the top with a maroon batwing top over that. She didn't worry too much about her hair because she had straightened it the day before; she pulled it up into a messy bun before slicking some gloss over her lips and leaving the bathroom. She walked out and Edward was still feeding Jackson so she started grabbing stuff for their bags. She had gotten all of the bags packed and she had put all the stuff beside the front door. She walked back into the bedroom to see Edward finally putting the baby bottle down on the night stand, she walked over to the boys on the bed and seeing that Jax was asleep she said to Edward "You should put him down so he doesn't get used to being held. Plus we are running almost an hour and a half late. If we don't leave in like fifteen minutes we're not gonna make lunch. I'll change his nappy and his clothes and make sure we're ready to leave when you get out of the shower." Bella looked over at Edward as he stood up and stretched his arms, making his muscles ripple. She felt a corresponding heat flood her stomach and she quickly averted her eyes his deep chuckle sounded in her ear "Hey Bella, why the blush?" she shook her head and tried to ignore him but suddenly he was pressed against her. The hot hard ridge of his arousal pushing against her ass. She swallowed hard and tried to continue changing the baby but her body ignored her head and pressed itself backward. Edward's deep groan had moisture pooling between her thighs and she moaned. She twirled around and practically attacked him, kissing him every where and running her hands over his body. She crushed her mouth against his while her hands dropped his boxers to his feet. He moaned into her mouth and it drove her crazier. He dragged her closer and walked her back towards the bed. He pushed her down onto the bed, undoing her pants as he went, slipping his fingers past the silky fabric of her panties and into her welcoming warmth.

He was flicking his fingers over her clit so fast that Bella could barely catch her breath, her orgasm coming closer and closer so quickly that she stopped breathing completely. She rode his hand to completion and was pulling him between her legs when a cry of displeasure sounded from right next to them. Bella felt a wave of horror and disbelief as she turned her head and looked at the baby lying on the bed just out of arms reach. Shame flooded her cheeks with colour and she pushed against Edward saying "Oh my God I can't believe we just did that with the baby on the bed? What the hell? Are we depraved or what?" Edward's face showed the same amount of disbelief and he stumbled away from Bella and the bed muttering "Aw man, Bella I'm so sorry. I can't believe… I just… and I wanted." Shaking his head he crossed the room and shut himself inside the en-suite. Bella got shakily to her feet and tended to the baby. Once he was changed and clean she put him in his car seat and they waited for Edward to finish in the bathroom. Less than ten minutes later Edward was showered and they were in the car on their way to Forks. They both ignored what had happened earlier and chatted about other things and listened to the radio.

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><p><strong>So what do you think about their first night at home with the baby?<strong>

**Please review**

**Cherie**

**xxx**


	31. Chapter 31

**Don't forget I only own the plot & I hope you're enjoying this.**

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><p>By the time they reached Forks the silence was excruciating and they weren't even looking at one another. It wasn't until they pulled into the driveway that either of them spoke. "I'll grab Jax if you grab the pram and the baby bag and Jasper's present." Bella said to Edward without even looking at him and Edward felt another wash of shame for not being able to control the lust he felt for Bella. "Sure thing, um, do you wanna talk? You know about earlier?" he wanted to just say sorry but without it sounding like he didn't want to do what he had done. Even within his own head it was jumbled. "Oh God no; I'm sorry Ed, I just… I can't believe I did that. I can only say I'm sorry." Edward sat back in the driver's seat and stared blankly at Bella as she hurried to get out of the car. It took him a minute to understand that <em>she<em> felt responsible for what had happened that morning. He got out of the car, got the baby bag and the pram from the trunk of the car and followed Bella up to the house. They hadn't really talked about how they were going to broach the subject of Jackson but they figured there was no easy way of breaking the news. They let themselves into the house and Edward dumped the stuff in the living room, grabbed Jazz's present, and Bella took Jax out of the car seat and they walked out onto the patio.

Bella followed a few steps behind Edward keeping Jax out of everyone's eye line. Everyone called out 'hello's' but the second they spotted Bella all hell broke loose. Alice squealed from where she sat nursing Ava, Rose and Esme came running, Charlie stood staring stupidly from the baby in Bella's arms to the bump that pushed out the front of her shirt, and both Emmet and Jasper stood mid-action. Bella smiled before handing Jackson over to Esme (who practically pushed Bella into the chair next to Alice, where she smiled, leant over and congratulated Alice) who cooed down at the wide-awake baby in her arms. She wandered over to Charlie who said "Whose kid is that?" and they stared down at the tiny child in Esme's arms. Edward walked over to his brothers and said "Hey Jazz happy birthday." Jasper stared at his younger brother dumbly before accepting the hug Edward offered and taking the brightly wrapped gift saying "Ah yeah, thanks Ed." Bella's laugh echoed across the patio followed by Charlie saying "Whose kid is this?" making everyone laugh. Edward laughed and said "Maybe we could all sit down and talk. It's really a long story." He walked back to Bella and Alice, bending down and kissing his sister in law before scooping up the baby in her arms and looking at her properly for the first time. "God Alice she is just the cutest little girl I've seen since Amelia was born and just like my other two nieces she is lucky cause she looks like her Mamma." He kissed Ava's head then placed her back in Alice's waiting arms. He sat down on the other side of Bella, taking her hand, saying "This is our son Jackson Carlisle Cullen and he is almost a month old." His entire family sat staring at them; his mother raised a delicate hand and stopped him saying "Edward I really love you and his name is wonderful but have you lost your mind? We can see that Bella is still pregnant so how is this child your son?" Edward gulped, glanced at Bella who reached out and squeezed his fingers giving him the courage to go on. "Yeah well that's the thing. Do you guys remember Irina?" Edward looked at his brothers who nodded, Emmett saying "Hey yeah she had a nice rack!" earning himself a filthy look from his wife who cocked her bitch brow and said "So you're sleeping in the den tonight, good to know." Emmett shrugged and said "Sorry babe. Yours is the best rack in the entire world and you're the hottest ever." Rose turned her back on her grovelling husband, Edward thought it was to hide the fact that she was smiling. He rolled his eyes and continued

"Okay for the rest of the class that don't remember Irina; she was a woman I 'dated' and trust me I use the term lightly. We saw one another for a few weeks but it wasn't exclusive and it wasn't serious. After a while she kind of freaked me out and I stopped seeing her, actually I just stopped answering her calls and I avoided places I knew she'd be. Then I just put her from my mind. A few weeks after that Bella and I, well everyone knows that story. Irina called me just before Christmas and together Bella and I decided that we would find out the results and go from there as to how and what we told everyone and with everything being shut down for the Holiday period we had to wait. We found out the fourth of last month that she was carrying my baby, anyway the day we found out Irina drove her car into a semi. She died but they were able to save Jackson, thankfully, but he was born early and with a hole in his heart. It's a congenital defect that Irina had. The doctors have fixed it and they say he's doing really well, Bella and I were able to bring him home yesterday." Edward paused in the telling of his story and the second he did so he felt a slap across the back of his head "Ow!" he said as he shot his mother an injured look "Mum what exactly was that for?"

Esme pursed her lips and sat back into her chair, cradling Jax closer to her chest, repeating his question "What was that for? What was that for? Are you serious Edward? The only reason Bella isn't getting one is because she is pregnant. How the hell could you both think that this wasn't something you should share with everyone else? What if, God forbid, something had've happened to Jackson? How would've the pair of you dealt with that? This is what family is for! I can't believe the two of you." She looked around at the rest of the family but they were all in various stages of information digestion and they were all overloaded. She huffed out an annoyed breath before sinking back against the chair where she started muttering to the sleeping baby in her arms. Alice was the first of the rest of the family to recover and she said "Guys you do realise that your own child is due in like two months, give or take, and now you've taken on a baby with health issues. Do you think you're both ready for that? I mean; please don't misunderstand me, I can see that you both love this little man but at the moment it's all new and exciting. How will you cope when you've got two little babies who need constant attention? You've both got full time careers and you're both work-a-holics with barely any time on your hands as is. How are two babies gonna fit into that? We're going to have to hire someone when I go back to work…" Jasper coughed into his beer and said "Ali I already said that you don't have to come back. I'll find another assistant." Alice scoffed and said "Yeah because it's not like you fell in love with your last assistant. Anyway that's not the reason- well not the main one- that I wanna go back, I enjoy work and even if it's part-time the money helps." Bella felt her smile slip, she hadn't even really thought about work. Her boutique was her and Angela's baby, they started that shop straight out of college and it had exploded. Word had passed round quickly and they had more success than most fashion shops. She, being one of the bosses, could start her maternity leave straight away but she hadn't planned on taking too much time off, she had reasoned that she could take the baby to the boutique with her, but she hadn't counted on two babies and she knew that parents of multiples managed but she wasn't sure she could ask Angela, Bree and Jared to work around two babies. She knew Angela would love it but the boutique was a business first and it wasn't good business to have babies there all the time.

Bella looked over at Edward and could tell by the way his happy expression had frozen on his face that he hadn't really thought about it either. So she said "We hadn't really thought that far ahead but between us we'll figure it out. Like any new parents there are gonna have to be adjustments. My maternity leave can start any day now that Jared has been trained up to take Bree's old position as assistant and Bree has been promoted to junior manager." Her answer must have pleased the mothers sitting around her because they all hid small smiles. Edward had a frown on his face but he didn't say anything to her. Her father finally seemed to recover from his surprise grandson enough to say "So let me get this straight. You are keeping him now?" Bella hissed in disbelief and said "_Daddy_! Of course we're keeping him." Her dad look abashed but said "I figured as much." Slapping his hands to his thighs he said "If you are dead set on taking on care for this child I think you need to get a few things in order first. Like sorting out your relationship, deciding where you're both heading and how you're going to get there."

Edward cocked a confused eyebrow and said "Um, not really sure what you mean Charlie." And Charlie fixed him with a level eye and said "I think that to provide a stable home you and Bella need to get married and make it legal." Edward heard Bella's choked laughter before she said "Dad, really? We've only been 'together' together for like three months. Don't you think it's a little early to get married?" She wasn't alone in her mirth but Edward could tell that the laughter from his brothers was tense because they knew him well enough to know the thought had crossed his mind. He forced a chuckle and Bella looked at him frowning, he met her eyes but just rolled his and shook his head almost imperceptibly. She just smiled sweetly before deftly changing the subject. He smiled gratefully at her and engaged Charlie and his brothers in a conversation as far away from marriage as possible. He eyed Leah as she drifted closer to her grandmother, she reached out a finger and stroked Jax's cheek, she stared down in amazement at the tiny baby held in Esme's arms and said "Hey Uncle Eddie can I please have a hold?" Edward felt at a loss, he didn't know if Leah was old enough to hold Jax and he didn't want to upset her so he equivocated "Um I'm okay with it but only if your mum says its okay." Leah swung her head towards Rose so quickly that Edward thought for a second that she had 'Linda Blaired' them and had gone full on 180 head-twist. She bounced on the spot and over her head Rose met Edward's gaze and his uncertain shrug and he was thankful that she seemed to understand that he was at a loss; she smiled at Bella who nodded slightly but unless you were paying loads of attention you'd miss it before saying in a faux stern voice "Leah do you think that you are responsible enough to hold him properly? Do you know how to support his head and are you gonna freak out if he starts screaming?" Leah rolled her eyes and said "Mum, seriously, I've held Ava like a bazillion times and I've never like broken her or anything." Everyone tried to stifle their laughter and Rose was the only one that seemed to achieve it to any success. She made Leah sit in one of the chairs with arms and fixed a cushion under her arm before gently picking up Jackson and placing him in her daughters waiting arms. Leah sighed as the baby's weight shifted in her arms and she said reverently "He is the prettiest baby ever, sorry Auntie Ali but…" she didn't finish she just continued to stare and Jax did the same thing back at her. This connection lasted for ages and it was Rose who drew everyone's attention from the sweet little eight year old cradling her baby cousin "So are we gonna eat soon? These kids aren't gonna wait much longer." It was the announcement that had everyone springing into action. Edward, Emmett, Jasper and Charlie moved inside, they brought out trays laden with meat and started cooking them on the BBQ. The women sat talking for five minutes watching Leah and making sure she was okay before they went inside and organised the salads and side dishes.

Bella waddled after the women in her family; what had happened earlier at Edward's house was weighing on her mind. She decided to broach the subject and see what the others had to say before judging herself too harshly. "Hey guys just a random question and if you don't wanna answer that's okay and I kinda understand if you think I'm depraved but…. ." Her words shot from her mouth in a jumbled rush. Esme, Alice and Rose stood looking at her with confused looks on their faces and Esme laughed and said "Ah Isabella, I didn't understand any of that." Bella swallowed sown a suddenly dry throat and spoke slower this time "Edward had just finished feeding Jax and I was getting him ready to come here and suddenly we're practically humping in front of the baby. Is that normal? Are we animals?" she waited for the condemnation she felt was coming but was surprised when the women just burst out laughing, Esme was the first to control herself saying "No, honey you're not animals, it is normal. Especially considering you haven't just had a baby and being pregnant sends those hormones racing." Rosalie nodded; wiping tears of laughter from her eyes said "Oh my god I remember not long after Leah was born, she had been crying non-stop for what seemed like forever. I'd finally gotten her settled on Emmett's side of the bed and I was beside myself with tiredness and crazy roller-coasting emotions. Emmett came home earlier than expected and I was standing in front of our mirrored wardrobe, I was trying to see if all my bits had stayed where they should, and Em walked in. I could see that look; you know that look, like they haven't had sex in forever and I was kinda relieved that he still found me sexy. One thing led to another and we ended up on the bed and it wasn't until afterwards and my boobs started leaking that we even remembered Leah and I felt the same as you but everyone told me that everyone has done it at one time or another." Bella nodded but couldn't help look towards Alice for conformation and she was surprised to see Alice blushing like a complete fool, she cocked her head and said "Ali, anything you'd like to share?" Alice flushed redder if it was at all possible before saying "Not really." And ducking her head down behind the cupboard she was standing behind. All the women in the room waited until she stood again, they didn't say anything, just looked at her and she threw her hands in the air and said "Jeez, what's with the Spanish inquisition? Yes we've had sexy with the baby in the room, actually Jasper and I got the all clear from the doctor, like Thursday, and I couldn't keep my hands off him. We got home and I put the TV on for Kayden, Ava was sleeping in her bassinet, and we practically ran up stairs and ripped one another's clothes off. We were in the middle of it when Kayden came in, in our haste we forgot to shut and lock the door. I was mortified; honestly I couldn't have been more relieved for the missionary position. Jaz practically died; Kayden, I swear that kid is like eighty in a three year olds body, just shrugged and said "Mummy I'd like some juice please." Before turning around and walking out." Alice shook her head, her hand covering her eyes and her cheeks flaming red and Bella couldn't help herself she burst out laughing which made Esme and Rose start laughing too, it took them a couple of minutes to control themselves and when they did Bella, still hiccoughing with laughter, said "Oh my God Ali, I would've died! Poor Kayden, he's probably scared for life seeing Jasper's butt like that. Thanks though guys it's made me feel better and what can I say, I find him so sexy that it's impossible to think when he comes anywhere near me." Bella could feel herself flushing but she felt better at the approving look in Esme's eyes, she cocked an inquisitive brow and Esme said "I'm really glad to hear you say that Isabella. I've been worried that you were only with him because you thought it was the right thing to do and not because you loved him." Bella opened her mouth to protest but Esme held up an apologetic hand saying "I know you love him but I was concerned that it was like the love you have for Emmett or Jasper. I can see, now, how much that boy loves you and I'm beyond happy that you feel the same." Esme walked over to give Bella a hug and just like that Bella was sobbing and clinging to Esme. Stupid bloody pregnancy hormones!

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><p><strong>Bloody hormones :)<strong>

**Please review, I love hearing from you.**

**Next chapter Jacob returns.**

**Cherie**

**xx**


	32. Chapter 32

**I don't own anything Twilighty but I do own the plot. Hope you enjoy :)**

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><p>Charlie was furious with him and Edward could fully understand why but it took until the ladies had gone inside before he said anything and when he did Edward could feel the restrained anger as he spat "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Edward stepped back from Bella's angry father and said "C'mon Charlie, it's not like I planned this. I didn't know about Jax and if I had, do you really think I would've kept it a secret? I'm just damn lucky that Bella has decided to let me prove how much I love her and stick by me." Charlie shook his head and said "I know my girl and she is loyal. She has decided that this is what she wants but I can tell it's playing on her mind. I could see it when she was with Jacob but I put it down to business stress, now I know what he was doing to her and I blame myself for not saying something back then." Edward stared in disbelief at his step-father before spluttering "You… you're really… I can't believe. I am not fucking Jacob! I would never do that to Bella and I've always told her that I want what is best for her and if that's leaving me than I'd let her go but that child over there is my son and I am not abandoning him and the child in Bella's belly is mine and I will always be there for himher no matter what happens between your daughter and I. I love Bella and I want to marry her but I don't want to push her into something she doesn't want, I won't do it." Edward turned to his brothers for support but the second he turned his head towards them they quickly busied themselves with cooking the meat and Edward felt betrayed, he really wanted them to stand up for him but in the same thought he knew he needed to prove himself all on his own without help. Edward felt a sinking sensation in his stomach when he looked back at Charlie but his voice rang with conviction "I love both you and mum but, respectfully, this has nothing to do with you. It's all about Bella and the kids and I will spend the rest of my life proving to her that I love her." He watched Charlie as he tried to digest the things Edward had said and when Charlie jerked his head in acceptance Edward felt relief.

The rest of the day and night went smoothly and since they were all having a good time they all decided to spend the weekend at Charlie and Esme's. Bella and Alice made a trip into Forks and brought more things for the babies since no-one had planned on staying. It was nice to spend time with the family and Bella thought it took a little pressure of having Jax and having only her and Edward to care for him because Emmett was there if something went wrong and it made her a little more relaxed. When Sunday afternoon rolled around she was a little sad at the idea of leaving everyone and she felt a pang at the thought of being away from them for too long. As they drove out of the drive Edward patted her leg and said "It'll all be okay Bella, we'll come back this weekend if you want." And Bella had a weird feeling that he could read her mind, she turned and looked at him and her surprise must have showed on her face and he said "I can't read your mind Bella but I've known you a very long time and you have a very expressive face." He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles before turning his full concentration back to the road and Bella felt a little relief. She sat listening to Jax snore softly from his car seat and the rhythm of the car had her eyes drifting closed.

It took Bella and Edward a week after Jackson came home to get anywhere near to a routine and Bella was running out of time to get everything ready for the arrival of their baby. An hour after Edward had left for work Bella was giving Jax a bath in the kitchen sink, only because she couldn't get down to the floor to kneel beside the tub to bathe him in it, when her phone rang. Wrapping Jax in a fluffy green towel she said to him "Now listen hear little man please don't pee on me. Let me answer the phone and we'll get you dried and dressed." He looked up at her with the same green eyes of his father before sticking his fingers in his mouth. She grabbed the phone and swiping her finger across the screen she said "Hello." Hearing Angela's voice on the other end had her smiling "Hey Bells, you're late and I'm just checking to see if you're still coming in for a visit." Bella laughed and said "Yeah we'll be there. It's just taking me a little longer to get ready now. Jax's just finished his bath and I'm dressing him as we speak and then we'll be out the door and we'll see you in like half an hour." Angela chuckled and said "Yeah I'd noticed that. Do you have the same shoes on today?" Bella rolled her eyes and said and said snippily "Ah yes mum." Angela laughed before hanging up; Bella finished dressing Jax and put him in his car seat. Grabbing her keys she pocketed her phone and slung the baby bag over her shoulder. Jax cooed from his seat and blew raspberries making Bella smile and he remained calm the entire time they were in the car. She wasn't letting on to either Edward or Angela that something weird was happening with the shop. Shipments were late or disappearing, the front of the shop had been spray painted and several windows had been broken. She was getting worried.

Angela came running out of the shop as they pulled up and scooped Jax out of his car seat and started babbling to him. Bella rolled her eyes and exited the car, making sure that she left nothing behind. They went inside and straight out into the back room because Angela, with help from Edward, had decided all Bella was allowed to do when she visited the shop was ordering and talking. She wasn't even allowed to serve customers because Edward was worried it would stress her out too much and it was at these times that she had to remind herself just how much she loved that man. Jared and Bree greeted them both enthusiastically; both of them practically melting into puddles over Jax, and the morning seemed good. That was until about eleven when Bree and Jared were on their breaks. Bella had moved to sit behind the counter, taking a phone order, while Angela served the two customers that were in the store. Jackson was sleeping peacefully in the backroom where Bella could still see him. The tinkling of the bell over the door drew her attention and she felt her heart stop as Jacob walked through the shop. He shot Angela a contemptuous look before focusing entirely on Bella and all she wanted was to not be there but that wasn't going to happen and she would prefer it to happen when she was here and not have it happen to the others, she knew how volatile Jacob could be. She straightened in her chair and said, as brightly as she could "Good morning Jake, how can I help today?"

Jacob sneered at her before running his eyes over her chest, leering when he noticed how much bigger they'd gotten, before dropping further. His dark eyes halted on her stomach with a mixture of confusion and revulsion. His eyes shot back up to hers before dropping again to her stomach and Bella could see his anger mounting and all she wanted was to avoid this while there were people in the store. She cleared her suddenly dry throat and said "How's Jessica doing?" and apparently this was the wrong thing to say because his face darkened and the hands at his sides clenched into fists. His gaze narrowed and he hissed "You fucking dirty slut!" He stalked closer to the desk, his anger almost palpable, Bella glance quickly at Angela who was speaking in an undertone to the lovely ladies she had just been helping. They nodded, shooting scared glances at an obviously furious Jacob, before darting out of the shop. Angela followed them to the door before locking it and flipping the sign to closed, as if she could avoid a scene by shutting the shop. Bella's brow crinkled in confusion before she said "What are you talking about Jacob?" he snarled, actually snarled, at her before slamming a fist against the counter. She could see him fighting for control but unfortunately control was losing. The anger that was so obvious cleared way to quickly and he regained the façade of a gentleman to fast for Bella to be fooled. "You let your brother knock you up?" his words, as abhorrent as they were, came out deceptively soft and Bella swallowed her desire to punch him and said "No, I didn't let my brother knock me up. Edward and I aren't related by blood and we didn't even grow up together." Bella leaned back slightly, just to make sure she wasn't within arms reach of his angry fists. The wild gleam had re-entered his eye and Bella started panicking, something had really snapped inside his head and she realised just how dangerous Jacob was.

Jacob started pacing to and fro in front of the counter, running his hand through his hair and muttering under his breath. Seeing his mania made Bella's heart skip a beat, she wanted to get Jax and Angela out of the building. She knew that if she made to leave before he was ready he'd flip and something bad could happen. He stopped in front of her and yelled "Why haven't you come grovelling back to me?" his outburst had Bella scoffing before she could stop it and she said "If I remember clearly you didn't want me anymore. I wasn't good enough that's why you went to Jessica in the first place." Bella shifted on her seat as a cramping sensation passed through her lower abdomen but her attention was quickly snared again by a furious Jacob "I know what I did but you weren't supposed to leave me! How dare you think I'd just let you go!" Bella wasn't sure she that this was even happening but the absurdity of it had her believing that it was happening she couldn't help saying "Let me go?" her incredulity coloured her words and he yelled "Yes! You're mine! I'm the only one that get's to have you, not that slick fucker. How could you stay with him? I thought after the fire you'd see how much you needed me and you'd come back. I would've taken you back and forgiven you for fucking him." His words pinged around inside her stunned head and she asked "The fire _was_ you." it wasn't a question but Jacob nodded eagerly, pleased that she grasped what he was talking about. Bella shuddered as the realisation that Jacob had tried to kill her, okay that may be a little dramatic since the note left at the fire said they knew she wasn't there but still, what the fuck. She hissed in anger about to put Jacob in his place but he started talking, over-riding her attempts "Then all the things I've done to sabotage your business and his and still you stayed with him." his voice dropped conspiratorially. Bella stared incredulously at him as another cramp grabbed a hold of her stomach but she said "What do you want from me now, Jacob?"

Jacob smiled and said "You. That's it. We can forget all this shit and go back to the way we were before. I mean we'd have to get rid of Edward but that's easy to do and as for the kid, well I'm sure we could find someone who wants it. We've got a while to prepare for that." His wide smile was so charming that if he wasn't threatening the life of the love of her life and waving her child away as some unwanted toy. His words made Bella realise what the cramps in her stomach were. She was in labour and this crazy tool had her barricaded in her own shop. She knew, from previous experience, that the only way to calm Jacob down was to pander to him and try and get him to leave as soon as possible but Jax chose that exact moment to wake up and start crying. Bella shot Angela a panicked look and Angela darted passed Jacob and slid behind the counter and into the back room. Jacob watched her with crazy eyes saying "When the hell did Angela have a kid?" Bella grimaced as another cramp wrapped itself around her body and in the intervening seconds Angela said "Jackson is almost two months old." And Bella mentally thanked her best friend for answering without really answering Jacob's question. Angela picked Jax up from his car seat and tried to calm him down but Jax wasn't having anything to do with that. He squawked in displeasure letting them know that he wasn't happy and Bella knew that crying babies set Jacob off. She remembered when they had gone out for tea and he had complained to the maitre d about it, embarrassing the parents of the crying baby. He had taken his anger out on her that night by throwing a large crystal ashtray at her, screaming at her that people who have kids shouldn't burden those who don't with their noise and smell. Bella scooted off the stool and another pain hit and this time it was strong enough to make her huff in pain. Angela's eyes widen when she noticed Bella's grimace of pain but Bella shook her head almost imperceptibly, she forced a smile onto her face and said "Ange, seems like he's hungry." and Angela thankfully played along. She laughed nervously saying "Yeah he is I'll just get his bottle ready." Bella smiled again before turning her back to Jacob and miming a call. Angela nodded and walked with Jackson in her arms into the back room leaving Bella alone with Jacob. "So Jake what do we do now?"

Jacob smiled maniacally and from the small of his back he pulled a gun. Bella gasped and backed up from him, raising her arms up in front of her a scream of fear ripped itself from her throat. "Cut that shit out now Isabella. I'm not gonna hurt you, if I wanted to hurt you I'd have shot you the second I walked in." He laughed at his own joke but all his laughter did for Bella was make her blood run cold. He rubbed the muzzle of the gun against his temple and spoke softly "No, I don't want to kill you Isabella, not yet anyway. I want you to suffer and to do that I need you to call Edward and get him here and nothing stupid, don't call the cops because I'll shoot you before they can get here." Bella sobbed and she said "Okay, sure Jake no worries. Can Angela take the baby out of here before Edward gets here?" A slightly concerned look passed over his face before he said "No, she isn't getting out of here and neither is her brat. No one gets out until Edward is here. I don't trust her not to blab and that'd ruin my plans, our plans Bells. We can finally get married and spend the rest of our lives together, just the way it's supposed to be." Another pain snaked through her abdomen and Bella was finding it harder and harder to keep them from Jacob but right now wasn't the time to let her weaknesses be known. Jacob strode closer to the counter and said "Ring your brother Isabella and get him here now." Bella nodded and picked up the phone hitting two on the speed dial and waited for Edward to pick up.

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><p><strong>OoooKaaay I know it's kind of cliff-hangery but don't kill me ;)<strong>

**Let me know what you think will happen and hopefully I'll update again tomorrow night.**

**Please review I love hearing your thoughts :)**

**Cherie**

**xxx**


	33. Chapter 33

**Don't forget I only own the plot :)**

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><p>Edward had checked his phone a million times to see how Bella was coping with Jax on her own. He wasn't worried that she could do it he was worried that she had two weeks before she was due and she had been having Braxton Hicks contractions for the last fortnight. His phone started ringing and he fumbled for it in his pocket, finally dragging it from his uncooperative pants pocket, sliding his finger across the screen he answered it without looking at the caller id. Garret's deep voice came down the line sounding panicky but happy "Ed! Kate's had the baby. Yeah, she's like three weeks early but she's fantastic, definitely a little fighter that one. We've named her Carmen." Edward felt happiness flow through him for his friend and he said "G that's awesome. Congrats, how's Kate doing?" Garret sounded flustered and slightly teary "Oh man she had a fucking hard time man. Carmen got stuck, what the fuck man I didn't know they could get stuck! And Kate tried her hardest but it just wasn't happening so they took her to theatre and gave her a c-section, that's some gruesome shit man, but now she's back in her room. She really sore and tired but she's happy that everything is good. She was a trooper Ed, honestly, she didn't swear, she didn't complain, she didn't even cry and trust me I wanted to do all of those things but now, I'm just relieved that she's okay and that so is Carmen." Edward smiled into the phone and said "So is Carmen in the NICU?" and Garret laughed saying "No way, my little girl is too awesome for that. They were worried that she would have to go there but the second she was out she was screaming and waving her arms and kicking her legs. It was a sight, she has Kate's temper. We were worried that she might be too small but she weighs almost seven pounds and the doctor reckons that if she had've gone to term she would've been ten pounds. Kate glared at the doc and I swear his balls shrivelled up into his stomach, if she had've been able to get out of that bed she would've kicked his ass for saying that." Edward laughed deeply, seeing Kate in his mind as Garret told him what she did. "Ed I've gotta go, the nurse is here to help Kate with the baby." Edward smiled and said "No worries, give Kate a kiss and Bella and I'll come by after work to meet the little one. Congratulations again." Shaking his head and laughing as he hung up from Garret, he was happy that Kate and the baby were fine but the panic he had felt about leaving Bella on her own had mounted higher after hearing Garret's account of what Kate had gone through. He decided to try and ignore it and concentrate on work so he could leave earlier and he and Bella could go to the hospital and see Kate and meet baby Carmen.<p>

Shaking the thoughts and panic proved harder than he thought it would and within twenty minutes he had given up on getting anything done even though he had more than enough work for three people to try and get through. He looked at the clock and was surprised to find that it was almost midday, he decided to go surprise Bella and Jackson and go home for lunch. The sudden trilling of his phone had a strange panicky weight settling in his stomach, picking it up he saw that it was the shop calling. It puzzled him because Bella hadn't said anything about going into the shop, shrugging he answered the phone. The second Bella's voice reached his ears Edward knew something was really wrong. His heart beat started racing and his palms begun to sweat "Hey Bella, what's the matter?" and he stopped breathing when she said "Hey Ed, um, Jake's here and, um, he wants you to come here." Her gorgeous voice was flat and almost expressionless and it terrified him "Isabella what does he want? Are you and Jackson okay?" she laughed and it was almost a sob when she said "You, here, that's what he wants Edward and we're okay… for now." Edward's heart froze at her add on and he lifted the phone on the desk while saying to her "It's okay baby, I'll be there. Just don't panic and don't do anything to piss him off, I love you." Her sigh of distress was enough to break his heart, she hiccoughed softly and said "Yeah, me too, and Edward he says no police."

She ended the call and left him sitting there with a dead cell in his hand. He had dialled his Mum before Bella had even finished speaking and he put the receiver to his ear and waited for his mother to answer. Her cheery voice warm and welcoming "Hey baby, how are you doing?" Edward sobbed and said "Mum, we have a problem and I need you." he could practically hear his mother shifting mode from loving mother to extremely capable ex-police chief "What? What's happened Edward?" He tried to talk and his throat clogged, he cleared it and said "Jacob has Bella, the baby and Angela holed up in the boutique. She is freaked out and he is demanding that I go. I'm going, mum, and I need you to do whatever you can from your end to make sure the cops are ready for him. I'm not doing this again, he won't get near her or my family ever again." The sound of his mother swearing made Edward feel safer in some twisted way. He hung up without saying anything more and left his office, heading towards his family and hopefully he can protect them from that maniac.

He sped the entire way there doing twice the legal limit, part of him hoping that a cop would pull him over but as luck would have it there wasn't a cop around. He pulled into the staff lot behind the boutique and was about to go in the back door when he re-thought it and walked around the front of the store. He pushed the door and found it locked, not that that really surprised him, he rapped his knuckles against the glass while peering inside. He could see Bella sitting behind the counter and she was looking at the corner he couldn't see, the sound of his fingers knocking against the glass had her gorgeous face swivelling towards him with a look that mixed relieved and concerned and even from outside the door Edward could see the tears staining her cheeks. Seeing her that distraught had all of his fear and distress disappearing and anger replacing it, he wanted to hurt Jacob. Something drew Bella's gaze from him and then suddenly she was moving laboriously towards the door both of her hands cradling her distended stomach. She grimaced and Edward could tell she was breathing faster than she normally would but he couldn't tell if it was because she was hurt or for some other reason. She unbolted the door and moved back for him to enter.

Seeing Edward knocking on the glass of the door had profound relief sweeping through her body immediately followed by fear. He had come but that means he had put himself in danger and she didn't want that. He barged through the door and dragged her to his chest, Bella wrapped her arms around his waist and breathed in his unique smell. "Aw look at that. A loving hug for your sister." Jacobs' voice grated over her fraying nerves and she hear herself hiss at him, it died as another contraction hit and she concentrated on breathing and not letting on that she was in labour. She pushed herself away from Edward but stood in front of him, feeling braver now that Edward was there and even more determined to get them out of this situation safely. "So what now Jake? Where do we go from here?" he smiled and it was so feral that Bella's blood froze. "Where do we go from here, Bella? Oh, I don't know. I'm thinking that Edward dies." He cocked his head and raised his arm, levelling the gun directly at Edward's chest. Another pain creased through Bella's stomach and she couldn't hold in the small whimper that slid passed her lips. Jacob mistook the whimper as despair over his plan for Edward but she felt Edward stiffen behind her, Jake raised an eyebrow and said "Oh come now Bella, it's not like you're in love with him. You were only with him because I got, let's say distracted."

It was in that minute that Bella decided that to play along. She reached behind her back and squeezed Edwards' hand before walking slowly away from him, a sound of protest from his lips had a wicked smile crossing Jacob's face. Bella forced a smile onto her face and said "You know what Jake, you're right. Thank you for shedding light on my insanity and I'm sorry that I didn't see it earlier." She stopped walking an arms length from Jacob, reached out a hand and touched his arm, suppressing a shudder of hatred. "I'll do whatever you ask of me if Angela can take the baby and go. You don't want to hurt them, they haven't done anything." She looked up through her eyelashes at Jacob and tried to flirt convincingly with him while pain flashed through her body at increasingly violent and frequent bursts.

Jacob nodded at her eagerly, obviously taken in by her act "Sure, Bells. Angela!" Jacob called out loudly to get Angela's attention and when Angela walked out of the back room with Jax propped against her shoulder Bella heard Edward sigh in relief but Jake was too concerned with getting rid of the obstacles. "You can go. But let me tell you, you call the cops or tell anyone about this and I will hunt you down and kill you and the kid." Angela nodded, totally petrified of the gun toting madman. Bella and Edward watched as she gathered Jax's car seat and baby bag and walked out the front door. The second the door closed Jacob pointed the gun at Edward and said "Lock it and then come sit over here." He pointed to the corner furthest away from the door and the window. Bella forced herself to remain beside Jacob as Edward walked away, locked the door and then moved across the room from her.

Bella wanted to try and postpone the inevitable so she asked "Jake if you want me to go with you, what are you going to do about Jessica?" Jacob curled his lip in disgust and said "She wasn't what I thought she'd be. She wasn't worthy of replacing you. So I got rid of her." A sick feeling spread through her stomach and she had to swallow the bile that rose in her throat as she said quietly "Jake, what do you mean 'got rid of her'? She loved you, what happened?" Jake turned his dark eyes toward her and said "Just what I said Bells. She wasn't worthy of replacing you and then she decided that revenge against you wasn't good enough and then she went and got herself knocked up." He laughed meanly saying "Like I'd want a fucking kid. I told her to get rid of it but she thought I'd 'come around' to the idea of a kid. She tried to talk me out of getting you back but I didn't want her anymore. I want you and she was in the way so I waited for her to come home from shopping last night and while she was putting the groceries away I shot her in the head." Bella covered her mouth and smothered the scream that threatened to slip out, tears slid down her cheeks and she just stared horrified at her ex fiancé before her eyes darted to Edward who stared horror-struck at Jacob as Jacob extolled the cold blooded way he murdered his pregnant wife. Bella nodded and sobbed "Oh, I see, okay." And Jacob nodded happily, pleased she understood where he was coming from he grinned maniacally saying "I'm so glad you understand. We'll get rid of Edward and then wait for the kid to be born, kill it or give it to someone, then we can start over." He pulled her close kissed her temple before turning his attention back to a cornered Edward.

Esme Cullen-Swan had always been a force to be reckoned with. She didn't suffer idiots or incompetence and she didn't like being kept out of the action. She had lost her first husband to a heart attack when he'd been forty-five and she had been thirty-eight but she had struggled through, raising her boys and getting promoted within her police department. She had moved to Forks from Seattle when Edward had started college. Emmett was already in medical school and Jasper had moved to Dallas to pursue his career. She had never been happier for her children but with them all out of the house she had felt lonely and when a post as chief of police in Forks had come up she had taken it and loved the job she had held for seven years before she met and married Charlie. All of the contacts she had accumulated in her time in the police force were now coming in handy as they waited in a mobile command vehicle as the Seattle police surrounded Isabella's boutique and the police were going out of their way to make sure she and her family were kept in the loop.

The minute Edward had hung up she had been on the phone calling Detective Call and letting him know the situation. Edward's PA had sent the company's helicopter to collect her and Charlie form Forks so they were there as things happened. She had called Emmett and Jasper and they, along with Rose and Alice, were sitting alongside her and Charlie waiting for something to happen. The police had checked out the building, using a plain clothed officer to walk past the shop front to ascertain they were actually in there but that had almost blow up in their faces when the door opened and Angela had hurried out with Jax clutched to her chest. She hadn't even noticed the police she had been that distraught. It had taken an officer actually grabbing hold of her arm and tugging her to a stop for her to notice help was there and she had broken down into a sobbing mess. In the drama that followed Esme was glad that she at least had her grandson in her arms and she couldn't wait to hold her son and step-daughter. The police decided that they needed eyes in the shop so they put a camera with a microphone on a pretty Native American woman and sent her up the side walk and to the shop. They knew that the door was locked because they had watched Edward lock it after Angela had left. Emily, that's what the detective called her, walked up to the door and tapped on the glass. They couldn't really see into the shop from her position at the door but thanks to the audio they could hear her

"Um, Bella? I had to pick up my dress for tonight." Emily smiled brightly and her tone was friendly. Bella's muffled response came through the glass "Sorry Emily, I've just closed up and I've got to be somewhere." Esme, Charlie, Emmett, Rose, Jasper and Alice all stared at each other as Bella used the officers' name. The detective sitting beside them watching the same footage said "Edward and Bella met Emily the night of Bella's apartment fire." Esme found herself snorting, letting the officer know she wasn't happy about how that was handled but she was ignored as Emily's voice came through the mic again "Can you just let me in for a second to get it please. I know you've closed early and I'm sorry I got caught up. I was on the phone to your step-mum and you know how she can be." They could hear Bella's strangled laughter and a deeper voice saying something that they couldn't decipher and then Bella was heading to the door and it swung open. Seeing Isabella looking pale and stressed but whole was a relief beyond words; she held the door for Emily and said "Yeah I know exactly how Esme can get but we love her." And Esme felt her eyes tear up at those words.

All eyes turned to the monitor as Emily crossed the threshold and gave them their first look of the hostage situation. Edward stood in the furthest corner while Jacob held a gun against his temple. Emily yelped convincingly at the sight of Jacob and the gun and Esme felt her heart squeeze at the sight of her baby being held at gun point. Jacob Black waved his hand and said "You had better get that dress and get out before I lose my friendly demeanour." Emily nodded dumbly and Bella said "Emily I can't remember if it was the red or the white one that we decided on." They went over to where the evening dresses were and sorted through them.

As Emily's camera paned to Bella and they watched as Bella grimaced and clutched at her stomach. Emmett swore from behind her and Esme frowned but tended to agree when she realised that Emmett had figured out that Bella was in labour. Emily must have noticed the same thing because she said soft enough for only Bella (and those listening in) "Are you in labour Bella?" and Bella nodded saying "Yeah I think so, um the pains are coming every three minutes or so and they are getting more and more painful. Is there help out there?" Emily laughed as if Bella had said something funny saying loud enough for Edward and Jacob to hear "Yeah Embry is waiting in the car and he is so aggravated that I've made us run late. I'm surprise that he hasn't come barging in here to yell at me." Bella looked relieved but played along beautifully "Yeah I know the feeling, Jake hates waiting and I hate keeping him waiting." Esme was surprised to see Bella pull of a simperingly loving look at Jacob. Edward groaned from beside Jacob and the sound made Bella stiffen. They turned back to the clothes and Bella whispered "He is fucking crazy as bat shit. He has already killed his pregnant wife, he told us that, he wants me back and he thinks the way to do that is to kill Edward. I'm really worried that he is gonna snap and just kill us both because he's bored." Emily nodded and said loud enough to be heard "I'm thinking the red, what do you think?" Emily grabbed the red dress off the rack, turned to Jacob and engaged him in the conversation. Esme had always known that he was a charming man but seeing him holding a gun on Edward but chat amicably to Emily made Esme understand just how they never knew he was a violent son of a bitch.

Emily laughed when Jacob said "Sweetheart you could wear a burlap sack and look hot." And she said "Well thank you sir. I don't think I've met you." she extended her hand to shake the one Jacob had held out "I'm Emily Call and you are?" He smiled nicely and said "Jacob Black, pleased to meet you Emily Call."

Bella groaned suddenly then whimpered, Emily moved the camera so Bella was on screen and she was in time to see a puddle of fluid pooling at Bella's feet and suddenly the entire mood in the room changed. Jacob shouted in disgust and Edward swore in panic. Bella clutched her stomach and doubled over and Emily rushed to her side "Bella are you okay?"

Jacob watched in dawning horror as the puddle at Bells' feet grew. He had some idea of what had happened and it threw his entire plan into chaos. This wasn't allowed to happen now, he had a time table and that fucking parasite was ruining his plans. He felt a finger of fear skate along his spine for the first time in a long time, his mother had died giving birth to a baby when he was seven and he had watched the entire thing happen before his eyes. In that moment he became aware of the possibility that his Bells might not make it through getting that thing out of her body to live the life he had planned for them. She cried out in pain again and he could see the panic on the other woman's face and he could feel this situation getting further and further out of control. The woman, Emily, moved closer to Bells. She wrapped a supportive arm around her shoulders and started guiding her towards the door, she was leaving with the whole reason for this. "No! No-one leaves." He heard his own voice call out and as he watched his arm rose, the one holding the gun, and a loud crack filled the room and the woman fell to the floor. She lay, unmoving, on the floor of the boutique; her blood pooling and mixing with the amniotic fluid that already marred the teak floor boards.

Bells screamed as Emily fell to the floor and she continued doing it, the sound grating on one of the last nerves he had left. Jacob pointed the gun at her stomach and said "Stop screaming Bells. We need to get out of here, now, because people would have heard that shot would have called the police. You" he pointed the gun at Edward before continuing "get over there and check she's dead." And seeing that hateful man scurrying to do his bidding was fulfilling for Jake. Edward raced to Bells' side he just touched her arm, that was it just touched her arm, and it was enough. He couldn't have him touching her, lifting his arm he aimed but before he could pull the trigger a loud bang, the sound of shattering glass and a searing pain had him crying out in pain. The gun dropped from his arm and skittered away from him and it was in that second that he knew he had been shot. He looked down at his right arm and wasn't really surprised to see a stain of red spreading down it and dripping off his hand.

The second Emily hit the floor and Bella started screaming chaos ensued outside. People scurried everywhere and the police inside the mobile command things ratcheted up several notches and Detective Call started screaming directions for the sniper on the roof across from the boutique to take the shot. They heard Jacob command Edward to go to Bella's side and it was at that point that another shot rang out and glass shattered and more screaming reached them through the mic that Emily was wearing and then shouting as swat breached the shop front. The swat commander's voice came over Detective Calls' radio "Yo Detective it's all clear in here but the paramedics are needed, now!" Embry Calls' voice rang out authoritatively "Get paramedics in there now!" Esme stood and moved to leave the mobile command centre but was stopped by Detective Call, she levelled her most fearful glare at him and all he did was chuckle, which made her madder, she practically spat her words at him "Excuse me Detective, I'd like to get past." Embry Call just sighed and said "Yeah, I know, me too but until the paramedics tell me that everyone is okay I'm not letting civilians any where near that shop." Esme knew he was following protocol but all it did was piss her off, she could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn't going to back down so she sat back in her chair, nervously chewing on the cuticle of her thumb. Emmett cleared his throat and said "Since I'm a doctor, did you want me to go help the paramedics?" Esme watched the detective do a double take as he took in Emmett, many people did that with Em. His size made people think of a footballer but when he says 'doctor' people seem doubtful. The detective raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, he just shook his head and turned his back on them to continue giving orders.

"Edward, help Emily. Argh!" Edward moved to go to Emily's side but the sound of pain being ripped from Bella's mouth had him moving back toward her. "Edward, I'm fine. Fuck, mother fucking whore!" He crawled to Emily's side and felt for a pulse and was eminently relieved to find her pulse strong. He rolled her over and checked to see where the bullet had hit and found the wound in her left shoulder. Edward shuddered, thinking just how close Jacob Black had come to killing this woman, this police officer, who had put her life in danger to help them out. He shook her gently but firmly, trying to get her conscious again and was so pleased to hear her groan in pain that he cheered "Bella, she's alive. I think she'll be okay." The next second all hell broke loose again, the glass front door was shattered and a dozen people wearing all black came streaming in, screaming out orders and suddenly Edward found himself pressed face down in the growing debris on the floor. In all the noise he could hear Bella above it all crying out in pain and he struggled against the people holding him still "Let me go, she needs me." Emily Calls' soft voice came from right next to his head had the restraining bodies easing up "Let him up. It wasn't him, surely you know that. I can see from here the fuck wit that caused all this damage and he looks in pretty bad shape. I, for one, wouldn't mind him dying but I'm pretty sure jail would be better for him, okay better for the revenge I want because he shot me. He won't be treated very well in prison." and Edward felt better knowing she was conscious and on his side. As quickly as they had slammed him into the ground and restrained him, the police had him off the ground and unrestrained. Giving them a quick glance in askance he ran to Bella's side where there was an officer talking quickly into a walkie talkie "Yo, Detective it's all clear in here but the paramedics are needed, now!" the second his eyes fell on Bella, Edward felt fear and anxiety race through his veins. She was covered in sweat and blood, she was panting and there was a wild look in her eyes. Edward crawled over to Bella's side and reached out to touch her hand. She snatched her hand away and screamed "Don't fucking touch me! You're the reason I'm in this position." Edward rocked back onto his heels and just stared at her and as suddenly as she started screaming she stopped and she started crying "No, Edward, don't leave me. Oh god I'm dying!" The paramedics came through the door at that point and one team of them came to Bella's side. The tall blonde Adonis of the team knelt at her feet and said "Okay Miss, we're going to take your tights off and examine you." Edward snarled and said "Are you kidding me? You expect her to allow some guy she doesn't know look between her legs?" Bella reached out a hand and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, she dragged his face close to hers and said "I don't fucking care! He can look all he fucking likes as long as he makes the pain stop!" the paramedic didn't seem phased by either outburst, he just took a pair of scissors that his partner handed him and cut Bella out of her tights and panties. He smiled reassuringly up at Bella through her spread thighs and said "Okay Miss, can you put the soles of your feet together and slide them up towards your bottom; awesome, now can you let your legs just fall outwards for me, thanks." His demeanour changed the second he got Bella to do that. He shot a wide-eyed look at his partner and said "Joe, we have a problem with moving her just yet." His partner said "Ted, the ambulance is outside and we are like five minutes from the hospital. What's the problem?" Edward looked between Ted and Joe as Ted said "The baby is crowning, she will not make it to the hospital. Go and get the equipment we're gonna need because she's delivering this baby now."

No way, there is no way that she was having the baby now! They had a birthing plan and they were supposed to be having their baby in a sterile hospital room. This was not the way she planned it! "No!, no way. I'm not having this baby now!" the nice gentle paramedic giving her instructions smiled reassuringly but said "I'm really sorry hun but that is exactly what is happening and I'm gonna need you to follow my instructions, can you do that?" Bella resented the calmness and slight condescension in his tone and she really wanted to slap the smile off his face but another pain hit and she ignored her desire to bitch slap the paramedic and followed his directions. Three painful contractions later and Ted, the overly cheerful paramedic, was saying "Okay Isabella on the next contraction I don't want you to push, just breath through the pain. Okay, here comes the next contraction, remember don't push just breath." And Bella really wanted to kick him but the pain stole her ability to do anything but breath; so that's what she did for what seemed like forever and then suddenly he was saying "Now give me another really big push and we will have a baby." Seriously? He doesn't think she'd been pushing hard? She snarled at him but she drew in a deep breath and pushed all of her energy into that one painful motion and then suddenly there wasn't any more pressure and the pain had stopped.

A high pitched squealing cry suddenly filled the air; she struggled up into an almost sitting position so she could see her child for the first time. She reached her hands out for the screaming red bundle being passed to the Hugh, the other paramedic. Bella wanted to protest but a bone deep weariness had swept over her, her head lolled to the side and she smile tiredly up into Edward's face. Surprised to see tears wetting his cheeks; raising a hand she brushed them away, she opened her mouth to ask why he was crying when everything went white.

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><p><strong>I know I've done it again. This one is definitely a cliffy but I couldn't write anymore :)<strong>

**I'd love reviews.**

**Enjoy**

**Cherie xx**


	34. Chapter 34

**Okay lovely people this is probably the 2nd last chapter. I hope this makes up for the wait.**

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><p>"Bella?" he could hear himself screaming her name but nothing was happening, there was no response from the love of his life. He shook her shoulders but found himself being shoved roughly out of the way by the paramedics, they were shouting and suddenly a gurney appeared and she was being lifted onto it an wheeled out of the boutique. Hugh the second paramedic gently touched his shoulder, drawing his attention, before saying "Mr Cullen would you like to hold your daughter?" Edward opened his mouth to refuse and Hugh must have seen it because he said "Miss Swan is being taken to Seattle General and we have instructions to have you, the baby and Officer Call looked over and treated before allowing you to go to the hospital." Edward held his arms out for the baby, his daughter, another paramedic was holding. The paramedic placed the little girl and she was little, absolutely tiny, into his arms and Edward felt the same love and adoration he had felt for Jackson swell as he stared down into the sleeping face of his little girl. He looked up at the third paramedic, a woman in her early forties, and said "What happened to Bella?" the fear in his voice clear and loud but she didn't mock him she smiled and said "I really don't know all the details but I can tell you that Miss Swan was bleeding excessively and they needed to get her to the hospital to make sure she's alright. Now this little one seems perfectly okay, she's very little but close enough to her due date for her not to be considered premature." Edward nodded and looked down again and he wanted to just stay there and stare at her but he wanted to go to the hospital and be with Bella but he had to find Jax and make sure he was okay. He looked up at the woman whose name tag read Ferguson and said "Um, am I allowed to leave? It's just, I need to find our son and Bella's assistant and then I need to contact my family but all I really wanna do is go to the hospital." Officer Ferguson smiled wider than before and said "Oh you wont have to look hard for your little boy, or for your family for that matter. They have all been waiting not so patiently since this started, come on I'll take you out to them."<p>

The bright sun outside had Edward blinking his eyes and trying to shield them. He made it to the side walk before he was inundated with people. Every member of his family was there and Angela was there as well, looking majorly shaken but in one piece. He walked straight to her side and pulled her into a one armed hug, whispering "Thank you so much for keeping Jackson safe and for your quick thinking. I, we, owe you so much." He hugged her closer as she begun to sob allowing some of his own tears to fall. Everyone was still talking over each other and it was starting to hurt his head, pulling out of the hug his mother had dragged him into he sniffed and said "Officer Call was the only one, besides Jacob Black that got hurt. Bella went into labour, she's been taken to Seattle General, some complications, they tell me it's just a precaution but I don't know. I do know that this is our daughter." A proud smile lit his face as he gestured to officer Ferguson who was standing with the baby wrapped in a space blanket. Emmett moved that quickly that he seemed a blur to the paramedic's side and started grilling her over Bella's condition and the condition of the baby. The paramedic smiled indulgently answering all of his questions but whatever she said had a shadow crossing his face and making Edward's recently lightening heart, sink again. Emmett smiled, taking the proffered baby, and said to the assembled mass "Bella lost too much blood giving birth, they had to rush her to the hospital. The outcome looks good but they want to take Edward and the baby to be checked over again." Emmett handed Baby Cullen back to her daddy before Edward climbed into a waiting ambulance to be whisked off to the hospital.

As consciousness greeted Bella all she could think was that where ever she was it was too bright. Slitting her eyes open enough that the light didn't stab painfully into her head she looked around and started to panic when all she saw was bright white walls. "Oh god I'm dead!" she croaked but a dry chuckle from somewhere near her head had her swinging her eyes in that direction and slowly a shape appeared and finally coalesced into the form of a pretty red head with bright green eyes she laughed gently, a tinkling of bells, and said "A little overly dramatic but I guess that's to be expected. You're not dead Miss Swan, you're in the hospital. What's the last thing you remember?" the second the red-headed nurse said 'hospital' flashes of images flittered through her head, the last of which was a tearful Edward as he stared down into her face but it was the one before that one that had her sitting bolt upright "Where's my baby?" she knew she was shouting but she didn't care, she didn't have her baby and she didn't even know what sex it was. A soft knock came at the door and Edward came hesitantly into the room pushing a see-through trolley. If he was here it meant their children were safe. The smile that lit up his face reassured her that everyone was okay that Jacob's frightening attempts at getting her back were over and everyone had survived. "Edward" she sighed lovingly and he parked the trolley at the end of the bed and came and kissed her. It wasn't a gentle kiss it was a life affirming, soul boosting, forever type kiss and she returned it with just as much love and need as he delivered it. He pulled her bodily against him and buried his nose into her hair and when he spoke his voice cracked with emotion "It's good to see you awake, love. It's been a very stressful few hours and I have someone here that would like to meet you." He pulled away and walked to the end of the bed and cooing gently reached into the trolley and scooped up a tiny bundle. Bella watched as he turned back to her and walking cautiously back to her he extended his arms and said "Isabella Swan I'd like for you to meet the newest member of our family, our daughter." The pride and love in his voice and that shone on his face was enough for the fears of their baby not meaning as much to Edward as Jax to vanish. Greedily taking the baby from her father she pulled her close and was a little surprised to feel the same instant connection to this baby that she had felt for Jax, she thought it might have been different but it wasn't and it made her happier. She nuzzled the soft brown curls cupping their daughters head and kissed her soft cheek before laying her back against her knees. Bella gently un-wrapped the best gift she had ever been given taking in absolutely everything about the baby within. From her tiny little body, to her long delicate fingers, to the clip at her belly button, from her small feet to the fuzz on her ears. She stared for ages before looking up to see Edward taking photos of the two of them. She smiled wetly before saying "Is she okay? I didn't hurt her?" Edward scoffed and said "Honestly Bella everyone has been more worried about you than this little munchkin. She is perfectly healthy and has been given the all clear from the paediatric registrar on duty as well as Uncle Emmett who had to be threatened with being kicked out before he'd stop overseeing her check up. We are all perfectly healthy, Jax is with Mum and everyone out in the hall, Angela is still shaken up but okay and Emily Call had to have surgery on her shoulder to repair the damage from the bullet but she is now on the mend two floors down. She already threatened mutiny if she didn't get to meet the little Miss soon but her husband told her that you two should meet before we introduce her to the woman who had helped save her life." Bella nodded and said "I'm so sorry Edward. I knew something was going on with all the things that had been going missing or turning up destroyed, all the vandalism on the shop and the things that had happened with your building sites and I had a feeling that something bad was gonna happen yet I still went. I would never have forgiven myself if he had've hurt you." She reached out a hand and beckoned him closer, drew his head down and kissed his lips "I love you Edward Cullen with all that I have."

Edward pulled away from the kiss and smiled lovingly at her and said "Bella you're stealing my lines, I'm supposed to be saying that stuff." He winked as she blushed but he continued "Actually I've been meaning to ask you something now, for almost three months, but things kept happening and it never seemed like the right moment. But today I realised that if I waited for the perfect moment I was gonna be waiting forever so I'm going to do it now. Isabella Swan, I love you more each and every day, you are the mother of my two children, the love of my life and I have loved you forever and will continue to do so. Will you do me the honour of being my wife?" He held out his hand, a little red box sitting in the middle of his palm. He had looked for what seemed forever to get a ring that he thought suited Bella the most and then this one had just jumped out at him. A Cartier Solitaire 1895 ring, diamonds along the platinum band with a 3 ct diamond solitaire in the middle. He had even found a wedding band, a platinum band of diamonds, that he liked and he knew that Bella wasn't one to be flashy and these rings weren't too flashy but the were gorgeous. He had left the wedding band at home but the engagement one he had been carrying around for weeks in his pocket.

Bella felt her jaw drop as Edward asked her to be his wife and sat with the little box in the centre of his palm; she worried for a second that it might have something to do with the fact her Dad had been pushing for it but the look of hope and expectedness on his face had her nodding her head and saying "Yes, yes Edward I'll marry you." Edward whooped in delight and, scooping the baby out of her arms and placing her in the cot, drew her to him for a passionate kiss. After releasing her he scrambled up onto her bed and sat there, practically bouncing, as he said "Hey what are we going to name her?" he inclined his head in the direction of the sleeping baby and Bella's mind froze and she said "I honestly don't know, I mean we haven't really discussed names. Jackson was a given for Jax but we haven't sat and talked about baby names. I know I'd like to give her Emily as a middle name, especially after today and everything Officer Call did for us." At the mention of what they had gone through that day had his happy demeanour fading to be replaced with agitation and anger. He shook his head and said "I'm so sorry about today Bella. I should've been able to protect you from him. By not pursuing all those little things we had suspected he was behind enabled him to get to you and that put the babies in danger. As for Emily Call, that woman deserves a medal for putting herself in danger like that without thought, and I couldn't think of a better middle name for this little one." His voice got rougher and rougher as he spoke and Bella felt her heart break a little, she squeezed his hand and said "It wasn't just you, neither of us thought he's be as dangerous as he turned out to be. Now he is the problem of the judicial system and we can get on with our lives. All I want to do now is name our daughter, get our son and go home." Edward's face lit up with another smile and said "That sounds like a plan to me Bella" leaning in and kissing her mouth again. A knock at her door had them pulling apart, laughing Bella called out "Come in." and the door flew open and their family poured in.

The noise was amazingly loud but Bella wouldn't have it any other way. The raucousness meant that she was alive and her family were safe and everything was going to work out fine. The family kissed and hugged and interrogated her the second they had tumbled in. Esme walked straight to her side and put Jax in her arms and Bella couldn't stop the tears of relief that her little boy was okay "Mama is sorry Jax and I promise I'll protect you with all that I have." Bella felt thankful that her family continued to be loud and that her little chat with her son went unnoticed by everyone except Edward. The second she looked up from Jax the noise doubled and she was pelted for information. She felt like she hadn't even been able to catch her breath as she tried to answer the dozens of questions they were firing at her. She looked to Edward for help and he smiled before saying "Okay people if you're going to harass my fiancé I'm gonna ask you to leave." Which only resulted in more noise and cheering and it was at that point that the sleeping baby at the centre of the day's drama decided to wake up and demand attention. Bella looked from a sleeping Jax in her arms to the crying baby at the end of the bed but before she could ask someone to take Jax Edward had the baby in his arms and was saying "I think someone is hungry." He cam closer and whispered in her ear "Did you want to feed or put her on the bottle? Either way is good for me, bottle means I can help more with feeds though." And Bella fell more in love with the man beside her.

After a discussion with Rose and Alice over what they thought would be easier on them all, they decided that bottle feeding seemed the logical way because then they could both feed Jax and the new baby alternatively; Edward organised formula and bottles and got the little miss sorted out while everyone continued the discussion about what to name her and while some of the names, like Emmett's insistence that they call her Emmetta, were vetoed straight away others were stored in the 'that's not horrendous' name pile. The family's response over the baby's name made Bella more grateful for them than ever before because it proved that they were going to be there for her no matter what the problem. They made her feel blessed. Three hours of laughing and talking later, as well as a visit from Angela and Detective Call, and Bella felt the insistent tugs of fatigue pulling at her brain. She couldn't hide her yawn and she knew how observant her family were and even if she insisted they wouldn't listen. They all filed out, just as noisily as they filed in, leaving Edward and Bella alone with their children for the first time. Bella felt a tired smile flutter across her face as Edward slumped exaggeratingly in the chair beside her bed, she ran her fingers through his thick hair and said "When do you think we can go home?" Edward smiled tiredly up at her and said "The Doc reckons tomorrow, even with all that has happened you are both healthy and there are no long term dramas." Bella sighed and said "That's great because I don't think I'm gonna get much sleep here." She glanced at Edward who asked worriedly "Why not Bella?" and she said, tugging his head up to hers "Because you're not sleeping next to me and I am so used to having you there that it feels weird you not being next to me. He relaxed visibly and said "I know what you mean but it's only one night and then we can just go back to normal." before kissing her gently on the mouth.

They chatted for what seemed like forever, about nothing in particular, before she fell asleep and when she was woken by bright shafts of light she felt a little panicked as the scenes from the day before raced through her brain but the second her eyes shot around the room and she recognised the hospital she relaxed but not before a sinking sense of loss when she knew she wouldn't be able to go back to that shop; Jacob had ruined that. Edward wasn't sleeping in the chair beside the bed, in fact he wasn't in the room, and again panic swept through her along with anger at herself for feeling like that but one of the things the psych Doctor had told her the day before 'panic is an emotion and you have to acknowledge it before you can expect to move on from it'. She hadn't understood fully what he had meant but she was getting a firmer grasp on it. She had never experienced this level of fear and anxiety at waking up in an unfamiliar place or waking up alone but after yesterday anytime alone seemed like a daunting thing but just as her breathing and heart rate started racing the handle of the door twisted. She didn't even think twice before sliding from the bed and snatching up the closest thing she could use as a weapon and placing the bed between herself and the door. The door swung inwards and a stunned Edward stopped just inside the door, his fingers tightening around the plastic cradle their sleeping daughter was in. Seeing the confusion on Edwards' face made her drop her weapon, which happened to be the thermometer; she heard her own sob before racing across the room and throwing herself into Edwards' arms. She rained kisses all over his face and sobbed "Oh my god I thought you were gone. I thought he'd gotten you. Please don't leave me." She tugged his arms around her and buried her head into his chest.

Edward was stunned enough to react slower to a hysterical Bella. He'd seen her angry, he'd seen her devastated, he'd seen her happy and sad but never hysterical and he was a little lost as how to deal with it. She had stood beside the bed, the thermometer raised above her head, looking like a cornered animal and seeing her panic had him freezing to the spot. When he saw a glimmer of recognition he allowed his body to relax; and then she was flying across the room, he stepped around the plastic cot and she threw herself into his arms. He wrapped them around her reflexively, his heart pounding fiercely, and listened to her disjointed sobbing, her absolute fear at Jacob Black 'getting him' broke his heart and all he could do was whisper oddly insincere comforting words because he had felt the same panic at leaving her. They stood there for a long time, just holding one another, before either of them could let the other go and even when they let go they kept a close distance, neither of them going more than an arms reach from the other. Bella picked up the baby and snuggled her against her breast and Edward breathed a sigh of relief that her emotions had seemed to settle and he tried to calm his own see-sawing emotions. When he had calmed himself down enough to speak he said "Hey Bella, I've thought of a name for the baby." He watched her head jerk up and he kind of wished he hadn't actually said anything but now that he had he knew she wouldn't let him get away without telling her. He shuffled his feet and with his head hung he said "I, I, was thinking about Vanessa as a first name. Vanessa Emily Cullen." He focused his attention on the baby, hoping that if Bella hated the name that she wouldn't laugh at the suggestion.

Bella looked from a supremely uncomfortable Edward to the sleeping baby in her arms and tried the name out "Hmm, Vanessa. Yeah, I like it. Vanessa Emily Cullen is a very sophisticated name but since she's so little maybe we can shorten it. You know a nickname like Jax. Um, how about Nessa." And Edward's relief was palpable and she felt sorry that he thought that she wouldn't like the name and the brilliant smile on his handsome face was enough that she couldn't stop the happy laughter escaping from her chest. The both sat on the bed and filled out the paperwork naming their daughter and taking pictures of Vanessa in the arms of both Edward and Bella and then laying on the bed, unwrapped and stretching. As they were watching her yawn and stretch a knock came softly from the other side of the door and Bella instinctively scooped the baby into her arms and tried to shield her baby from any harm. The nurse who pushed the door open smiled calmly, if not a little reservedly, before saying "Good morning Mama, Daddy here was supposed to ask you if you wanted to bath that little sweetheart." Bella relaxed a little and nodded her head stiffly and forced the corners of her mouth to lift in a parody of a smile and said "Yeah I do wanna give her a bath." The nurse smiled widely and came into the room before skirting the bed and walking into to the en-suite. Edward walked over to Bella's side and wrapped an arm around her loosely and kissed her temple "Its okay baby, she's safe. Nobody's gonna hurt us any more." Bella knew he meant well so she forced herself to calm down.

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><p><strong>So... the baby now has a name. What do you think? Reviews would be lovely<strong>

**Cherie**

**xxx**


	35. Chapter 35

**Okay my lovely readers this is a short chapter, sorry**

**Don't forget that I own nothing to do with Twilight, I only own this plot.**

**Hope you enjoy**

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><p>Vanessa did not like being undressed and put in the warm water of the bath and she let everyone within hearing distance know. Bella and Edward were stressed about how distressed Nessa was over her bath, Jax had always loved his bath and had never cried at being put in the bath, and listening to their daughter screaming wrenched at their hearts and made them feel terrible. They persevered and made it through the horrendous task of bathing their distraught child before wrapping her up snugly and crawling onto the bed to just stare at her while she sobbed in her sleep. They finally got Nessa to sleep when the door burst open and Emmett came striding in "Hello my beautiful niece!" he scooped Vanessa out of Bella's arms and cradled her against his chest. It startled Nessa and she started whimpering and Bella made the move to get off the bed but Edward placed a restraining hand on her thigh and just shook his head, Bella knew it meant that she had to let people hold Nessa and that she was going to have to relearn how to trust people but she didn't think it was going to happen quickly. Instead she decided to sit, edgily, on the bed and watch Emmett like a hawk and she had to admit Emmett was a natural with babies, she had always thought that. Once he had gotten her to settle down Emmett turned his eyes on them and said "Ed I ran into Garret and told him what had happened and he said 'Shit tell them we'll come see them before they go home and that explains why Bella hasn't been up'. I told him I'd let you know and you could call him if it's okay for them to come visit, man their little girl is a cutie." Emmett shook his head before dropping his gaze back to Nessa and said without waiting for them to respond "So does she have a name yet?" and almost silently "I wonder if I can convince Rosie to have another baby." Bella laughed and said to a now crooning Emmett "Vanessa Emily Cullen is the name we've decided on." Then turned her gaze to Edward and said "Their baby girl is cute? When did Kate have the baby and how come you didn't tell me?" Edward scooted closer and kissed her temple saying "Garrett called me just before you did yesterday and in all the drama, to tell you the honest truth, I forgot all about them. I'll call them and let them know that since we are going home today that a visit tomorrow at home would be better than one in a stuffy hospital room, is that okay babe?" Bella nodded and said laughingly "Sure thing. Tell them we'll grab Chinese and just chill out, well as much as we can with three babies."<p>

Going home was an even bigger eye-opener with two babies than it had been with just Jax but they managed and Bella couldn't help the tears of relief at going home. Home meant safety and protection, nothing could hurt them there and no one could get them there. It was as if Edward knew what the tears were for and he didn't say anything, just rubbed her leg comfortingly. Once they got the babies in the apartment another problem struck them; there was one spare room that would do for a little while for the babies to live in but it wasn't really big enough for two of everything to go inside. Edward just shrugged his shoulders and said for now they can share a cot, they're only little and neither one moves, and we'll look for a place as soon as you feel up to it, okay." Bella smiled and said "I love it when you take charge, it gives me goose bumps." Before kissing him on the cheek and putting Vanessa in the cot while he did the same with Jax.

Edward felt himself take a deep breath and thought that it was the first real, deep cleansing breath he'd taken since Bella's phone call. Knowing that they all came out of that ordeal was the most important thing and now she was home and he could keep her beside him all day and night and make sure she was alright, that was the most important thing for him. He jogged out of the room where the babies were sleeping and rummaged through Bella's hospital bag for the camera, running back into he room he took numerous shots of the babies. Shots of them together, separate, just their feet, profile shots and shots of the pacifiers sitting beside their head. If it had've been anyone else telling him they had taken that many photos of their sleeping children, a year ago, he would've said they needed a life but now he realised they were his life and nothing else mattered.

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed<strong>

**Please review and let me know what you think :)**

**Cherie**

**xxxx**


	36. Chapter 36

**This is the last chapter everybody. I hope you have all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Please don't forget I only own the plot**

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><p><em>Two Years later<em>

"Vanessa Emily Cullen put Harry down!" Bella ran as quickly as she could across the patio at the back of their house to stop Nessa dropping the eight week old puppy. Dressed in her sumptuous pink princess gown, she really did look like a princess, Vanessa looked over her shoulder guiltily and put the tiny Border collie pup down and stood with her thumb in her mouth waiting for her mother to reach her. Bella crouched down in front of Nessa and said "Nessa, do you remember what Daddy and I said about picking Harry up?" Bella cupped the bronze curls that spiralled from her daughters head and looked into the teary eyes identical to her own as Vanessa said sadly "Not to cause hims little and he will get sick but Mamma, Jax did say that if I don't brunged him Harry he don't let me have no cake from my birthday and Mamma I really wants the cake." Bella sighed and said "Nessa, it's not Jax's birthday honey it's yours and even if it was Jackson's birthday I'm the one in charge of who get's cake, not your brother, okay." Nessa nodded and then a suspicious thought entered her mind as to why her two year old son would want the puppy in the first place so Bella said "Why did Jax want Harry?" but what ever Jax wanted the dog for was forgotten as Charlie's voice boomed form the back patio "I've been sent out her to gather all the children, apparently there is some sort of treasure hunt about to begin." Vanessa squealed and raced away from her mother, Bella groaned, shaking her head and to got to her feet when strong hands came from behind her and helped her to her feet. She started at the contact, even two years later, if someone surprises her or touches her if she didn't really know them she froze. She had learnt to breath through the panic and when Jacob had been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his pregnant wife and the attempted murder of Emily, and the 'kidnapping' of Bella and Edward, not to mention putting Bree and Jax in danger; Bella had definitely breathed easier and as time passed and the kids grew and life was happy she had relaxed more. Edward's smell engulfed her and she leant back into his hug and said "I don't know what our son had planned for that dog but he enlisted his sisters' help to do it." Edward's chuckled sounded in her ear and he said "I know what he wanted the dog for and I've already told him that cutting the dogs hair wouldn't be the best thing to do, especially at a birthday because he'd have to spend the day in his room and miss out on all the fun activities we have planned for him." Bella asked "What? Why the hell would he want to do that?" incredulously and Edward shook his head and said "I know! But ever since he went with Leah to the hairdressers he has been wanting to cut everyone's hair, if Nessie wasn't so strongly opinionated she'd be bald." Bella turned and looked at him questioningly and he sighed saying "I busted them having an argument about it the other day. I did tell him he doesn't cut anybody's hair, I guess at two he doesn't understand that means the dog." Bella just shook her head and said "I wish you wouldn't call her Nessie, it makes her sound like a monster! I could kill Emmett for tagging her with that nickname." She had griped about Emmett's nickname for their daughter from the minute he had given her it but it hadn't stopped the nickname from taking hold, especially when she had been teething and had gone through a biting stage.

Together they crossed the yard and walked into the back sunroom of their home; a home they had brought three weeks after Vanessa had been born, a home that was the next street over from Kate and Garrett's and boy did that come in handy when you need some sanity. The noise was amazing but having their family and friends altogether in one place was a fantastic thing and it didn't happen as much especially since Jasper and Alice had moved back to Texas eighteen months before. Bella surveyed the damage being caused by the numerous children and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face; her life was almost perfect and she hoped that Edward was as happy as she was and seeing him wrestle with their children and their nieces and nephews and their friends children made what she had to tell him all the more fun. Emmett's booming voice cut through the noise. Bella couldn't help the giggle that escaped her at the sight of her brother-in-law; he had dressed up for Vanessa's princess themed birthday as a king and was effectively emcee for the party. Vanessa loved her Uncle Emmie and he spoilt her rotten "I King Emmett now declare that it is time for the presents!" Everybody hurried into the dining room where the presents and cake had been stashed away from sticky two year old fingers and older sticky fingers, namely the three Cullen men, and Edward sat with Nessa on his lap, the same way he had for Jax a couple of months before, and helped her open presents while Bella snapped happily away with the camera Edward had brought her the Christmas before.

Nessa adored all of her presents and declared that she was going to sleep with everything because "They's all mines favourites" making everyone laugh indulgently. There was one little package left and Nessa looked inquiringly up at her mother and said "Can me and Jax give it to Daddy now?" and Bella smiled widely and said "Sure scoot over so Jax can sit on Daddy's lap and I'll give him the box and then you can both tell him what we rehearsed, okay." Identical bronze heads nodded but where Nessa always had a smile and was outgoing, like her father, Jax was more reserved and shy, like Bella and it was Jax who whispered "Mamma don't let no one laugh 'kay" before looking worriedly into her face. Bella kissed her sons cheek and said "No-one will laugh honey and Grandma will beat them up if they do." Jax nodded solemnly before climbing onto Edward's lap. Bella smiled again and took some quick snaps before handing the camera to Rose; she cleared her throat and said "I wanted to thank everyone for coming today. I know some of you have travelled for a long time to get here and we are blessed to have family and friends like you all. None of this, my happy family, would be possible without my wonderful husband, my soul mate, Edward. Now the kids and I have something for you." She nodded to the kids and they pressed the package into Edward's waiting hands before kissing either cheek. Edward swallowed visibly before saying "I second those emotions but Honey I don't have a present for you." Bella just smiled and said "Okay kids, together now like we practised; and none of you know how hard it's been to keep this quiet."

Edward stared up at his beautiful wife then down at his gorgeous kids and then to the package in his hands. It was slim and held closed with a strip of yellow ribbon. He couldn't think of any reason that Bella had brought him a gift and he felt like an ass for not getting her one but he silently vowed to make it up to her. As she spoke he felt his eyes well and after she said what she wanted he second it, he loved his family and nothing was better than having them all there. Jax and Nessie sat quietly for a while and it took Bella's silent encouragement for them to start speaking "Mamma says that you is the bestest Daddy in the whole world and we love you lots" they paused in their recitation and waited for him to do something and for once it was Jax who said impatiently "Now, Daddy, open it now!" so he untied the ribbon and started lifting the lid off the box. This must have been some signal because the kids started talking again "This is a us present but Mamma says you need to open it." Edward took the lid off and stared down at the small plastic strip and grainy black and white picture beside it laying on tissue paper within. He felt stunned as he stared down at the ultrasound picture nestled inside the box, lifting his head he looked into Bella's smiling face and it all clicked into place "We're, are we, is this… Bella?" but before she could speak everyone was asking what it was and Nessie shouted "It's a baby. Mamma says it's a real baby, not like my dollies." Then the noise rose like a tidal wave and broke over them in excited chatter and jubilant high-fives. Edward put the kids off his lap and walked over to his grinning wife and without a thought to the people in the room he kissed her. It was a long passionate kiss that had their older nieces laughing and saying "Ewww gross" and Garret and Embry saying "Jeez get a room" and Charlie tapping him on the shoulder and effectively breaking them apart. He drew them both into a hug and there were tears in his eyes as he congratulated them. It was at that point that Vanessa decided that enough was enough and that now Daddy had his present and everyone knew about the surprise it was back to being her birthday and she was the princess "Okay no more kisses, we want cake!" Bella raised an eyebrow at their demanding daughter, who stood with her hands on her hips, before saying "Vanessa Emily Cullen that isn't the way you ask for cake, is it?" Vanessa shook her head defiantly but the room was saved a tantrum by Emmett who swept Nessie into his arms and said "You know what Nessie, I'd like some cake too and Auntie Rose says so does the baby. Maybe if we say 'please Mamma can we have cake' your Mamma might let us cut it." Like anything with Emmett Nessie took it as gospel and her entire demeanour changed "Sorry Mamma. Please we have cake now?" and tried her best to affect the sad puppy dog look Emmett had on his face. Bella sighed, rolled her eyes and said "Okay, let's do cake!" The chorus of whoops and cheers made everyone laugh.

Three hours later when they were standing on the front porch waving goodbye to the last of their guests, Esme and Charlie would normally stay but Esme had an appointment the next day so they were driving home; Bella nestled into her husbands' chest, lazily waving her hand as their parents drove off, and said "Man that was exhausting. Thank god everyone helped clean up before they left. I'm so tired I think I could sleep for a week." Edward kissed her temple and said "Well pregnancy does take it out of you." Bella laughed and said "You're not mad at me for telling you like that are you? I wanted it to be a better surprise than Jax and Nessa's pregnancies were." Her loving husband dropped to his knees in front of her and pressed his lips against her stomach, kissing it through the material of her dress "Bella it couldn't have been a better surprise and for the kids to be the ones to tell me, is just, words can't, I get teary. Men aren't supposed to get teary!" Bella laughed and said "Do you think this one will be as much as a handful as the two inside?" Edward looked up into her face and said "God, we can only hope not. I'm going grey, look!" He separated his thick bronze locks for Bella to see the imaginary greys and Bella just slapped his shoulder gently and said "Oh my god! You're right there are greys!" and the look of horror on his face had her laughing and saying "My husband you are the easiest person to trick." Before bending down and kissing his jaw. Edward growled and pulled her against his hard body and said "I will punish you for that comment my beautiful wife." And Bella felt her panties dampen at the thought of getting her husband behind closed doors and ripping his clothes off but she moved out of his grasp and said "Oh is that right? Well maybe it'll be you being punished. I still have those handcuffs Emily leant me." Before heading back in the front door.

Edward followed his wife thinking of all the wicked things he could do to her once the kids were asleep. He briefly looking over his shoulder as twilight descended on peaceful suburbia; he was thankful for the life he was living and he knew now that no matter what they had to go through to get to this point that he was definitely worthy of Bella.

The End

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed it *peeking out from behind a wall*<strong>

**Thank you to all who have taken the time to read this story, I really appreciate the time and the reviews. **

**Please leave reviews I love reading them**

**Cherie**

**xxxx**


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